Casu marzu is traditionally made by shepherds (pastori) on the Italian island of
Sardinia (Sardegna).  They make it with sheep's milk.

The name casu marzu is the Sardinian way to say 'rotten cheese'.  In Italian it would be called 'formaggio marcio.'

This cheese is prohibited from being sold in the European Union because of hygiene regulations and health concerns.  It is produced by Sardinian shepherds for their own consumption and for family and friends.

Why is this cheese so rotten and dangerous?   Continue reading ..............

Casu marzu is made by first producing normal Pecorino cheese.  The crust of the Pecorino is then cut open and left for a few weeks to attract cheese flies which lay thousands of eggs inside the exposed cheese.   Thousands of tiny maggots hatch from the eggs and then live inside the cheese.

The cheese is eaten whilst the maggots are wriggling around and jumping about.  

The cheese becomes very soft and is eaten by scooping it up with a spoon onto bread.