Discover why Ahrntaler Graukäse is made without rennet, what it tastes like and how to turn it into Pressknödel. A recipe from the Alte Mühle kitchen.
Ahrntaler Graukäse: South Tyrol’s Best Cheese and What to Make with It
Your first encounter with Graukäse is rarely love at first bite. Usually, someone sits at the table, gives it a cautious sniff, wrinkles their nose and looks questioningly at Sepp. But once you have fallen for it, your love of Ahrntaler Graukäse will last a lifetime. Here, we tell you what makes this cheese so special, and share one of our favourite Pressknödel recipes.
How Ahrntaler Graukäse Is Made
In the past, milk was skimmed on South Tyrol’s Alpine pastures and the cream was churned into butter. What remained was skimmed milk, far too valuable to throw away. So it was left to sour, gently heated and transferred into wooden moulds. To this day, no rennet is added, which makes Graukäse a sour-milk cheese. The riper and yellower the cheese becomes, the more intense its flavour and its aroma.
What Does Graukäse Taste Like?
If you are trying it for the first time, start with a piece from the edge of a young Graukäse, where the flavour is at its mildest. Towards the centre, the texture becomes crumbly and the taste more intense and salty. Connoisseurs appreciate a Graukäse that has already “started to run”. We will explain exactly what that means over a glass of wine from our cellar, or at the Ahrntal GrauKäse Days.
Ahrntal GrauKäse Days in September
The Ahrntal GrauKäse Days will take place from 5 to 20 September 2026. The opening celebration is held in Luttach, after which the entire valley puts Graukäse on the menu. Here at the Alte Mühle, it naturally features regularly during this period, and Sepp comes up with something new every year.
September is also a wonderful time to visit us: the hiking trails are clear and the Alpine huts are still open. You can find our late-summer offers here.
Pressknödel with Graukäse: The Recipe
Apart from enjoying it on its own, we believe that Pressknödel are the best way to eat Graukäse. These flattened, pan-fried dumplings are one of Sepp’s specialities:
Ingredients for 4 People
● 150 g Knödelbrot (dried bread cubes for dumplings) or firm white bread
● 100 g Ahrntaler Graukäse
● Approx. 100 ml milk
● 2 eggs
● 1 tbsp salt
● 1 tbsp flour
● 100 g butter for frying
● Approx. 1 litre beef broth
Method
- Cut the white bread into small cubes and place them in a bowl.
- Gently heat the milk and melt half of the cheese in it.
- Grate or dice the remaining cheese.
- Add it to the bread together with the eggs, salt and flour.
- Knead the mixture thoroughly and leave it to rest for approximately 12 minutes.
- Shape the mixture into round dumplings and flatten them with your hand.
- Heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the Pressknödel until golden brown on both sides.
- Transfer the Pressknödel to the hot beef broth and leave them to cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes.
Sepp’s tip: Instead of serving the Pressknödel in broth, accompany them with a salad made from fermented white turnip, or with crispy fried onions. If you like, add one tablespoon of finely chopped chives to the dumpling mixture.