Auricchio Provolone Classico: the original Italian provolone since 1877
Auricchio Provolone Classico in the traditional salame shape is a semi-hard pasta filata cheese made from cow's milk, weighing approximately 5.7 kg, hand-tied with cord and protected by a food-grade paraffin coating. It is produced by Gennaro Auricchio S.p.A., the historic Italian provolone house founded in 1877, and owes its unmistakable character to Don Gennaro's secret rennet recipe. Storage at 10-12 °C, shelf life 150 days from production.
What is provolone
Provolone is a stretched-curd (pasta filata) cheese born in Southern Italy. The curd is spun in hot water, shaped, brined and then aged hanging from cords: this is what creates the typical provolone shapes, from the salame to the mandarino and the fiaschetta. The salame format is the classic shape for delicatessen counters: a regular cylinder that yields even slices with minimal waste.
The producer: Gennaro Auricchio, since 1877
Gennaro Auricchio founded his company in 1877 in San Giuseppe Vesuviano, near Naples. His exclusive rennet recipe, known as the secret of Don Gennaro, gave the cheese a unique flavour that quickly built its reputation: by the 1880s Auricchio provolone was already exported to the United States, supplying the shops of Little Italy. In 1949 the headquarters moved to Cremona, in the Po Valley, where abundant high-quality cow's milk still supports production today.
Organoleptic characteristics
Compact, semi-hard paste with the typical elasticity of stretched curd, straw-white to pale yellow colour, a clean milky aroma and the full, distinctive flavour created by the exclusive Auricchio rennet. The cord-tied, paraffin-coated rind is not intended for consumption and protects the cheese during ageing and transport.
Technical data at a glance
Format: whole salame, approx. 5.7 kg variable weight, 47 x 13 x 13 cm. Packaging: 1 piece per carton (50 x 15 x 15 cm), cord binding with protective paraffin layer. Storage temperature: 10-12 °C. Minimum shelf life: 150 days from production. Supplier reference: E508. Carton EAN: 98004603007492.
Professional uses
At the deli counter, slice it fresh for cheese boards and gourmet sandwiches, calculating 80-100 g per portion. In the kitchen, provolone alla piastra is a classic: grill slices about 1 cm thick for a few minutes per side until golden. Dice it for aperitivo platters, cut it julienne for baked pasta and savoury pies, or melt it in toasted panini, where its stretched curd gives the perfect pull. A whole 6 kg salame yields roughly 60-70 deli portions.
Pairings
Provolone pairs beautifully with chestnut honey, fig jam and mostarda, with crisp grissini and rustic bread, and with aged Italian salumi on a mixed board. On the wine side, choose structured whites or medium-bodied reds depending on the rest of the menu.
Delivery and logistics LAPA
B2B and B2C refrigerated delivery in Switzerland from the LAPA warehouse in Embrach (Zurich). Cold chain guaranteed by the LAPA fleet across Zurich, Winterthur, Uster, Aargau, St. Gallen, Lucerne, Bern and Basel. For Ticino (Lugano, Bellinzona), French-speaking Switzerland (Geneva, Lausanne, Fribourg), Valais and mountain regions (Chur, Davos) delivery within 24-48 hours via certified food-grade couriers such as Swiss Post, Planzer and Galliker.
Who it is for
Designed for delicatessens and gastronomie with a cutting counter, Italian restaurants and pizzerias, hotels, catering services and Italian grocery stores, as well as private customers who love authentic Italian cheese. The 150-day shelf life and the whole-piece format make it a reliable, low-waste stock item.
