🧀 Graviera Agrafon
Also known as: Гραβιέρα Αγράφων
Graviera Agrafon is a Greek PDO hard cheese from the Agrafa mountains, made from sheep milk, sometimes with goat milk, and ripened for at least 3 months.
Graviera Agrafon is a Greek hard cheese with a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), registered in the EU in 1996. It is one of several protected types of graviera, made from sheep milk to which goat milk may be added.
Where it is made. The PDO area is the mountainous Agrafa district in the southern Pindus range, on the border of the prefectures of Karditsa and Evrytania. Flocks graze high meadows rich in wild herbs.
How it is made. The milk is coagulated with rennet, the curd is cut small and heated, pressed into round wheels and salted. The cheese ripens for at least 3 months in cool rooms, where the rind is tended regularly.
Taste and texture. The rind is hard; the paste is pale yellow and firm with small holes. The flavour is sweetish and nutty, milder than kefalotyri, with an aroma of sheep milk.
How to eat it. Serve Graviera Agrafon on a cheese board with honey and nuts, fry it as saganaki, or grate it over pasta and bakes. Red and full-bodied white wines suit it (see Wine and cheese). It belongs to the Hard cheeses group.
Graviera Agrafon is a type of graviera and belongs to the sections Greek cheeses and Protected cheese names; its raw material is sheep milk.
Why it matters to you. “Graviera” on its own is a general name, but Graviera Agrafon is protected in the EU: a cheese with this name must come from Agrafa and follow the specification.
Facts
| Raw material | Sheep milk, sometimes with goat milk |
|---|---|
| Country | Greece |
| Region | Agrafa (Karditsa, Evrytania) |
| Duration | At least 3 months |
| Legal basis | EU PDO since 21.06.1996, PDO-GR-0449 1 |
How it connects to Cheese
🧀 Graviera Agrafon → kind of → 🪨 Hard cheeses → kind of → 🧀 Cheese
Links
- Made from which milk
- 🥛 Sheep's milk, 🥛 Goat's milk
- Part of
- 🪨 Hard cheeses, 🧀 Graviera, 🏷️ Protected cheese names, 🇬🇷 Greek cheeses
Frequently asked questions
Where is Graviera Agrafon made?
In the mountainous Agrafa district on the border of the Karditsa and Evrytania prefectures.
How long is Graviera Agrafon aged?
For at least 3 months.
Is it true that every graviera has PDO status?
No. Only specific names tied to a place are protected, such as Graviera Agrafon or Graviera Naxou.
What to read next
- 🥛 Sheep's milk — The richest in protein and calcium of the common milks; almost all of it goes into cheese.
- 🥛 Goat's milk — Close to cow's milk in its main values; smaller fat globules and a characteristic “goaty” taste.
Similar
🧀 Arseniko Naxou · 🧀 Kefalograviera · 🧀 Graviera Naxou · 🧀 Canestrato di Moliterno · 🧀 Paški sir · 🧀 Graviera Kritis
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.
Sources
- eAmbrosia — Γραβιέρα Αγράφων / Graviera Agrafon (PDO-GR-0449)
- EUR-Lex — Регламент Комісії (ЄС) № 1107/96