Sardinia Minestrone

Casu Marzu: Maggot Cheese From Sardinia (Complete Guide)

Casu marzu is a traditional Sardinian cheese known for its controversial preparation involving live maggots. Made from pecorino cheese, it’s deliberately exposed to the cheese fly (Piophila casei), whose larvae break down the fats, transforming the cheese into a soft, creamy texture with a sharp, pungent flavor. While considered a delicacy in Sardinia, casu marzu is banned in the European Union due to health risks, particularly the potential for larval infection called myiasis. Despite the risks