PARMIGIANO REGGIANO CHEESE PDO

Parmigiano Reggiano PDO is a hard cheese, produced in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and partly Mantua and Bologna.

Among the oldest cheeses in the world, it is obtained from the processing of 100% Italian raw cow’s milk, partially skimmed by surfacing and without the addition of additives. The hard, slightly grainy paste and the traditional straw-yellow color of the crust are the characteristics that make Parmigiano Reggiano PDO recognizable all over the world.

Its organoleptic properties (high digestibility, high calcium content, absence of preservatives or additives, presence of numerous mineral substances) make this cheese particularly appreciated and present daily on Italian tables.

Parmigiano Reggiano PDO is known for its fragrant, delicate, savory but not spicy taste. Thanks to its enormous versatility, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO is a much appreciated ingredient and particularly used in the kitchen: it enriches every dish giving different aromas based on the seasoning and enhances the taste of traditional recipes. We recommend tasting it as it is for an aperitif or for a healthy snack; to savor it accompanied with fresh fruit, nuts or honey.

Depending on the seasoning, the Parmigiano Reggiano PDO lends itself to different consumption:

• Aging for 12-18 months: perfect to use as an aperitif accompanied by raw vegetables or combined with sweet fruit mustards to enhance the delicate aroma. We recommend that you prefer fresh seasonal fruit such as apples, pears, grapes or strawberries.
• Aged for 24 months: ideal to use grated to enhance the taste of first courses or soups. In this case, even the crust, once cleaned, can be added to the dishes to give a unique taste.
• Aging from 24 to 30 months: excellent for enriching fish or meat main courses such as sliced ​​beef, fish carpaccio or roast beef. We recommend consuming it combined with dehydrated fruit such as apricots, figs, sultanas or plums.

Processing

The processing of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO involves very specific processing phases, but above all it is characterized by processes that have an ancestral tradition:

• The coagulation of the milk is carried out slowly thanks to the addition of rennet and whey.
• The cooking must not exceed 55 degrees centigrade.
• Through the use of an ancient tool, the spino, the curd is fragmented into small granules.

Background

Parmigiano Reggiano PDO is one of the oldest cheeses in the world and is still produced today according to the ancestral tradition dating back to about nine centuries ago. According to some testimonies, the origins of this cheese date back to the 13th century, but despite having traveled around the world it has never lost its uniqueness, thanks above all to the skill of the dairy masters who have handed down the traditional recipe over the centuries.