The Montenieddu artisanal dairy factory is active since 1992 in Olzai, Sardinia (Italy), where it produces the most famous traditional Sardinian cheeses using sheep’s milk independently produced. The milk used is rich in highly nutritional elements. As a result, mature cheeses produced are rich in soluble proteins and essential amino acids, poliunsaturated fatty acids, such as a-linolenic and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), with universally recognized nutritional value for both kids and adults. Rich in both calcium and phosphorous, consumption of such cheeses favours bone regeneration and contrasts the development of osteoporosis. Thanks to the high content of CLA, our sheep’s milk cheese represents a high nutritional quality food, being demonstrated the anticarcinogenic activity of  CLA, its role in protecting cardiovascular system, and regulating or even reducing the level of LDL (“bad” cholesterol) in blood. PRODUCTS: FIORE SARDO DOP: “Gavoi-like” cheese represents the main product of the Montenieddu dairy factory. It is the oldest-known product of an ancient Sardinian sheperds’ tradition. The name Fiore Sardo refers to the flower of the artichoke, once used for milk curdling. It obtained Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status (EC Regulation no. 1263/96) and, according to European regulations, its production is strictly limited to the region of Sardinia island, off the coast of Italy. Among the 31 Italian PDO cheeses, it is the only Italian ewe’s milk cheese made from raw milk. This peculiarity confers to the product a unique combination of taste and flavour notes, which are usually not found when pasteurized milk is used.  PECORINO MONTENIEDDU: is a semi-cooked curd ewe’s milk cheese, with a semi-hard texture, and represents one of the principal meals in rural Sardinia. It is principally used as a table cheese, but, thanks to its fine flavours, it is also excellent when grated over gourmet food. Curdled using veal rennet at 37°C, after cutting the curd is heated at 42°C. FORMAGGIO GRANORTZAESU is manufactured from naturally skimmed sheep milk. Veal rennet is used for milk curdling. The organoleptic characteristics of this cheese reveal its great value. As far as nutritional quality is considered, the high protein content and high digestibility of the lipid fraction, together with the mineral content, make of this product a valuable and dietetic food. Cheese paste is semi-hard at early stage of ripening, and becomes firmer and grainy as maturation proceeds. At late stages of ripening, paste cracks . GUSTOSA MONTENIEDDU is produced in the two versions Traditional and Spicy. It is obtained starting from Fiore Sardo PDO cheese and can be considered an ideal cheese to be served among starters at te beginning of the meal. It is a perfect substitute of the traditional “Casu Marzu”,  a very typical rotten cheese produced in Sardinia. ERBORINATO MONTENIEDDU Sheep’s milk Montenieddu blue cheese This savoury cheese is obtained from whole ewe’s milk with the addition of milk enzymes, which favour cheese maturation, and selected strains of moulds that originate blue veins throughout the paste. Even though this blue cheese is the result of a cheese-making process which is far from our tradition, Blue cheese Montenieddu is well appreciated by both consumers and more skilled cheese tasters. RICOTTA MUSTIA MONTENIEDDU High nutritional value and haute cuisine dairy product Technical specifications Ingredients: sheep’s milk whey, salt Characteristics: rindless cylindric wheels; It is smoked for some days after production. Dense and firm paste, milky white colour, soft and tasty Soft cheeses MONTE NIEDDU. Our artisanal dairy factory, Montenieddu, is specialised in manufacturing some of the most typical and popular Sardinian soft cheeses. These products are available by special order only from November to June Creamy ricotta “Diliga Average weight: 1.5 Kg (3.5 lb) Best before date: 8 days at 4°C (40 Fahrenheit) Packaging: heat-sealed plastic containers “Merca” salted curd Montenieddu “Frue” Azau Acru or Casu Ajedu Caciotta Monte Nieddu Ingredients: sheep milk, rennet, salt.