Dairy
Parmigiano Reggiano
Also called parmesan, parmigiano
Hard, aged cow's-milk cheese from a protected zone in northern Italy. The real name is Parmigiano Reggiano; green-shaker 'parmesan' is a different, often oilier product. Grana Padano is a milder cousin.
Origin
Farm and monastic dairies in Emilia-Romagna developed a long-aged cooked cheese that travelled. The protected designation now locks geography, milk and method.
Flavour
Salty, nutty, with crunchy tyrosine crystals in older wheels. Pre-grated 'parmesan' often tastes of stale oil.
How it is made
Raw cow's milk is cultured, set with rennet, cooked, pressed, brined and aged at least a year, often two. Inspectors stamp wheels that pass.
How to use it
Grate finely just before it hits the pan so it melts rather than sitting in damp clumps. For risotto alla Milanese it goes off the heat with butter. In carbonara, pecorino is more traditional; a half-and-half mix is common outside strict Roman kitchens. Rinds simmer in soup, then come out. It is already salty — taste before you salt the pot. Grana Padano substitutes cleanly in most cooked dishes; a cheap shaker does not.
Storage
Wrap in baking paper, then a loose bag, in the fridge. Grate only what you need; pre-grated stales in days.
Recipes using it
Checking your allergy settings…
