Bel paese is a semi-soft cheese from the Lombardy region of Italy. It was formulated by Egidio Galbani in 1906 with the aim of creating a cheese that could rival those from the French Alpines. It has a milky aroma infused with a mild buttery flavour which is similar to mozzarella. It is hard enough to slice but soft enough to spread. Bel paese cheese goes well with fruits like apples, pears and figs, and is often melted into casseroles, hot paninis or onto a pizza