Cheese with live larvae inside: strange culinary traditions of the inhabitants of Sardinia

Cheese with live larvae of a cheese fly is banned in the countries of the European Union, the USA and even in mainland Italy. Nevertheless, it is allowed to produce it in Sardinia, as it is recognized as a national treasure and cultural and historical heritage of the islanders. But experts discourage exotic lovers from using this product, as this may be unsafe for health.

Cheese with larvae is called Kasu Marzu and is a dish of Sicilian national cuisine. From Italian, its name translates as "rotten cheese." The basis of this strange dish is pecorino cheese, which is produced in Sardinia and in some regions of Italy from sheep’s milk. When the pecorino cheese is ready, it is left in the open air and the cheese fly is allowed to lay its eggs in it. To attract flies, small holes are made in the cheese where olive oil is dripped. Since this insect is often found in all regions of the planet, and especially near the coastal towns where fish are caught, there is no doubt that every cooked head of pecorino cheese will be found by cheese flies.

After the flies lay their eggs, the Sardinians clean the cheese for maturation, which lasts about 3-6 months. Product readiness is determined by experienced cheese makers simply by tasting cheese. This kasu marzu has a pasty consistency, a pungent smell and a pungent, rich taste. Residents of Sardinia use this cheese, spreading it on traditional bread, which is baked in Sardinia, and washed down with wine. You can eat cheese with larvae, or you can pre-clean the product from swarming living creatures.

It is difficult to say when the cheese with larvae began to be produced in Sardinia, but this product is not one hundred years old. According to one version, its appearance is associated with an unpleasant accident when the cheese was left unattended and a harmful insect managed to lay eggs in it. After it became clear that an incomprehensible pasty mass had formed instead of peccarino, the owner decided not to throw away the spoiled product, but to try it. Sardinians liked the unusual pungent taste, and they began to cook cheese with larvae on purpose, leaving pecorino in the open air and luring flies. By the way, kasu marza in Sardinia is about 3 times more expensive than picorino, which indicates its high value and love of the islanders.

Kasu Marzu is considered a local delicacy and must be present at the festive table of the inhabitants of Sardinia. But for unprepared tourists, the appearance of this cheese alone can cause a fainting state. Doctors are extremely negative about the idea of eating foods with live larvae, because if they get into the gastrointestinal tract, they can provoke the development of serious diseases. For this reason, the import and sale of this cheese is prohibited in many countries of the world. Sardinians insist that if you carefully chew the cheese, then all the larvae will die and will not cause any harm to humans.