Put the milk in a heavy-bottomed steel saucepan and heat it to 37 °C. Turn the heat off and stir in the yoghurt, then immediately add the rennet and salt, continuing to stir thoroughly. Put the lid on the saucepan, wrap it in something woollen to keep it warm and leave to rest for at least 40 minutes. The milk will coagulate and form what is known as “curd”, which has the consistency of blancmange. Now use a knife to cut the curd into squares. Take the cheese baskets or moulds (you will need 3 or 4 small ones with a capacity of 200-300 g, or a large one for about 1 kg) and place each one, upright, on top of 1 or 2 small glasses arranged in an oven dish, so the liquid can run out. Using a perforated spoon, fill them with the well-drained, diced curd. Leave to stand for half an hour so the whey can drain off, then place the baskets on a plate and put them in the fridge. After three hours, turn them upside down and tip out your Raveggiolo.

Raveggiolo is a cheese that should be eaten fresh, but it will keep for 2 or 3 days in the fridge. It’s delicious from aperitif to dessert. With its slightly sweet but sharp taste it can be eaten on its own or seasoned with olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper, also with cherry tomatoes or coarsely chopped herbs (rosemary, sage, Lesser Calamint, oregano).

At the Fattoria we use it with spinach or chard to stuff ravioli, or as an ingredient for filling tortellini. It can also be transformed into a dessert, simply “dressed” with sugar or honey, or blackberry, blueberry or strawberry jam. In days gone by farmers’ wives used it (and some still do) as an ingredient in their cakes and biscuits.