1. A Cheese. . .
By Any Other Name
On 26th February 2008, the European Court of Justice finally spoke: from
now on only cheeses qualifying for the Protected Denomination of Origin
(PDO) “Parmigiano Reggiano” can be sold as Parmesan. Nikki Haynes
travels to Italy to find out more . . .
PHOTOGRAPHY STEVE LEE | RECIPES SUE ASHWORTH
98 fresh www.fresh-magazine.co.uk

2. fresh food & drink
CHEESE OF THE MONTH
P
ARMESAN cheese has been The cheese is made from fresh whole milk or figs. Over 30 months it’s given a gold seal
made for centuries in the that has been milked that morning, and and becomes known as stravecchio. This
northern Italian province of naturally skimmed milk. Once the curd has cheese has the highest nutritional value and
Reggio Emila, although it wasn’t formed, separated and been left to settle, the a much drier, crumbly and grainy texture.
until relatively recently that cheese is collected in a large piece of muslin Its strong, distinctive flavour goes well
this versatile cheese came to the attention to form a ball-like shape, then it’s cut into two with a full-bodied reds or dessert wines:
of chefs further afield. It was the height of (known as twins) and placed in moulds. for a summer treat serve it with honey and
sophistication in the UK in the 1970s when walnuts. Although you can buy older cheeses,
Italian cooking meant “Spag Bol” with some Making the cut the experts say that a cheese older than three
dried Parmesan sprinkled over the top. Whilst in the moulds the cheeses are branded years is past its best.
Today we’re an international society with far with the familiar dotted Parmigiano Reggiano
more sophisticated tastes; Parmesan doesn’t markings. Not only does this distinctive The one and only
just have to come in tubs like dust, if you’re design help consumers recognise the A PDO always upsets some people, especially
hungry enough you could buy a whole 39kg cheese, but it also tells you everything you those cheesemakers who are just outside
wheel. And as we’re becoming more food need to know about its origins: the dairy’s the regulated area of production. However,
savvy, we’re also becoming more protective identification number and the month and understanding how much care goes into the
over traditional products with a long history year of production are all on there. The cheese product, from the milk, to the cheesemasters,
in a specific region. One of the most recent to is then placed into a brine bath for 20–22 days, to the Consortium you can understand why
gain the EU’s protection in the form of a PDO before being sent to the ageing rooms for at Parmeggiano Reggiano stood out as the one
award is Parmigiano Reggiano – the original, least a year. In 1934 the Consorzio Parmigiano and only Parmesan cheese.
and now the only, Parmesan cheese. Reggiano (Consortium) was set up to govern
the areas of production, the cheesemaking For further information and some great
Something special process, animal management, markings and recipes, visit www.parmigiano-reggiano.it
To say this cheese holds true to ancient sales – everything to ensure the quality of the
traditions is something of an understatement. cheese. At 12 months the Consortium inspects
The Parmigiano Reggiano experts say that every single cheese. They test it using only a The Weird World of
the way it’s made today is pretty much as it hammer and their ear; by tapping at various Parmigiano Reggiano
was nine centuries ago, bar the technological points on the wheel, they can tell if there
improvements. It has the same ingredients, the are any undesirable cracks and voids. If the In 1348 it was praised in the writings of
same processing techniques and is still made Consortium does detect some minor flaws Boccaccio; in the Decameron, he talks of a
with the same artisanal care. There are 429 they will score the cheese with horizontal mountain made completely of Parmigiano
dairies making Parmigiano Reggiano, and all lines across the rind and it cannot be sold. If to accompany macaroni and ravioli.
have to be in the specific provinces of Parma, there are lots of faults the cheese’s top layer Samuel Pepys famously buried his
Reggio Emilia, Modena, Mantua on the right is removed to ensure that it won’t be sold in precious wheel of Parmesan during the
bank of the River Po and Bologna on the left pieces: usually this cheese is used in cartons Great Fire of London of 1666 to preserve it
side of the river Reno. This is not just a product of grated Parmesan. The cheeses that pass the from the flames.
that the cheesemakers are proud of, it’s a Consortium’s tests are heat branded on the Parmigiano Reggiano is the first food
labour of love, a passion and a way of life. rind with the Consortium’s oval logo. Most eaten in outer space that was not first
Each dairy has a cheesemaster or Casaro: Parmigiano Reggiano is eaten in Italy: in 2007 specially engineered to suit a space diet.
traditionally it was a family business where only 18 per cent was exported. Parmigiano Reggiano has the second
the skills and secrets were handed down highest concentration of umami. Umami is
from father to son, but these days, because Three stages of maturity known as the fifth taste alongside sweet,
the work is so intensive, a lot of the younger When you buy Parmigiano Reggiano there sour, salt and bitter. This concept was
generations aren’t interested in carrying it are four maturation stages to look out for, developed in 1908 by a Japanese professor
on. Every day the raw milk is processed by each giving you a different flavour, taste who was interested in the delicious flavour
the cheesemasters with natural ferments and aroma: at 12 months it has a bouncy that a traditional Japanese seaweed broth
(no additives) created by the previous day’s texture very much like Emmental, at 18 gave to anything it was cooked with.
whey. If they stopped for just one day they months it’s given a red seal and the taste He discovered that seaweed broth, or
wouldn’t be able to continue this natural is quite sweet, milky, fruity and nutty (the rather the giant kelp that’s in it, has a
process and all the heritage and tradition Italians usually have this with an aperitif high amount of glutamic acid – naturally
would be lost. So they have to work 365 days of dry white wine, or you could pair it with occurring MSG – which gives food a rich
a year, and if the cheesemaster has no support fresh fruit such as pears or apples) and at savoury taste and so he named this new
then there are no days off for him, including 22 months it’s given the silver seal. This flavour umami which happens to be
birthdays, births or even Christmas. They cheese has a more distinctive taste and a Japanese for deliciousness.
work long days too – from 5am–12pm and texture that you’d expect from Parmesan In 1568 Bartolomeo Scappi, a Dominican
3.30–8pm – so most live onsite. Increasingly – crumbly and slightly grainy. Still quite mild, monk under Pope Pius V, wrote a
the dairies are now having to source workers but with a more rounded flavour, it’s great cookbook that made the claim that
from other countries who are willing to take accompanied by a well structured red wine Parmesan was the best cheese on earth!
on the arduous job. and served with dried fruit such as prunes
www.fresh-magazine.co.uk fresh 99

3. Spinach & Parmigiano Reggiano Muffins
These wonderfully light bowl. Stir in the sugar, about
savoury muffins are perfect two-thirds of the Parmigiano
for breakfast or brunch – or Reggiano and the spinach. In a
just enjoy them as a snack large jug beat together the egg,
when you’re feeling peckish. milk and vegetable oil.
Makes 8 4 Pour the liquid mixture into
the dry ingredients. Using
a metal spoon, stir until just
75g / 3oz Parmigiano combined. You must not beat
Reggiano this mixture or stir it too much. It
250g / 9oz plain flour should be quite lumpy, but there
½tsp salt should be no traces of dry flour.
1tbsp baking powder
1tsp caster sugar
100g / 4oz spinach, cooked,
5 Spoon the mixture into the
muffin cases and sprinkle the
remaining Parmigiano Reggiano
cooled and chopped over the top. Bake for 20–25
1 free-range egg mins until well risen and golden.
240ml / 8fl oz milk Serve whilst still warm.
90ml / 3fl oz vegetable oil
Press out the
1 Grate the Parmigiano
Reggiano finely and set aside.
excess water from
the cooked spinach
2 Preheat the oven to 190°C
/ gas 5. Put 8 paper muffin
cases into a muffin pan, or you
with your hands or use the
back of a spoon. If you’re
wondering why the recipe
can line them with squares of includes sugar, this is because
greaseproof paper. it improves the texture and
3 Sift the flour, salt and baking
powder into a large mixing
flavour of the muffins.
Halibut and Prawns with Lemon Thyme
& Parmigiano Reggiano Cream Sauce
This special fish dish makes
a superb main course for a
dinner party – yet it is so
2 Heat the olive oil in a frying
pan and add the halibut
fillets. Cook them over a medium
simple to prepare. heat for 5–6 mins, turning them
once. Add the prawns and two
Serves 4 sprigs of lemon thyme and cook
for a further 2 mins. Season with
75g / 3oz Parmigiano a little salt and pepper to taste.
Reggiano
2tbsp olive oil
4 x 150–175g / 5–6oz Pacific
3 Meanwhile, make the
sauce. Put the cream into
a saucepan and heat gently,
/ farmed Atlantic halibut fillets whisking with a small whisk. Add
100g / 4oz cooked and the white wine, then the grated
peeled prawns, Parmigiano Reggiano, stirring
thawed if frozen until melted and smooth.
6 small sprigs lemon thyme
¼pt double cream
6tbsp dry white wine
4 Serve the fish with the
prawns, pour the sauce
on top and garnish with the
Salt and ground white pepper remaining thyme sprigs.
1 Grate the Parmigiano
Reggiano cheese finely and
and set to one side until you are
Use any firm fillets
of fish in place of
halibut – salmon or
ready to use it. monkfish would work well too.
100 fresh www.fresh-magazine.co.uk

4. fresh food & drink
CHEESE OF THE MONTH
Rare Beef Salad with Watercress, Chicory,
Pear & Parmigiano Reggiano
This salad is relatively filling
so savour the fantastic
flavours as a main course.
3 Preheat a char-grill pan or
heavy-based frying pan.
Brush the rump steak with 1 tbsp
olive oil, then char-grill or fry it
Serves 4 over a high heat for about 2–3
mins on each side. Remove from
4 firm pears, peeled the pan, cover with foil and leave
570ml / 1pt red wine to rest for 5 mins.
25g / 1oz caster sugar
1 bunch watercress
Handful of baby spinach
4 Cut the pears into quarters,
removing the core. Arrange
one pear on each salad. Slice
1 head chicory, broken into the beef with a sharp knife, then
separate leaves share between the portions.
450g / 1lb rump steak Add the chunks of Parmigiano
4tbsp olive oil Reggiano cheese and drizzle
175g / 6oz Parmigiano the remaining olive oil over the
Reggiano chunks salads along with a few drops of
2tbsp balsamic vinegar balsamic vinegar. Serve, sprinkled
Freshly ground black pepper with freshly ground black pepper,
to taste.
1 Put the whole pears into a
saucepan with the wine and
sugar. Heat and simmer gently
If possible, use a
specially designed
without a lid, turning the pears Parmigiano Reggiano
from time to time, until they are knife to break small chunks of
tender. Carefully lift the pears the cheese from a large wedge,
from the reduced liquid and leave as it can be very hard. The
them to cool. uneven pieces will help you to
2 Share the watercress, spinach
and chicory between four
serving plates or bowls.
appreciate the unique texture
and flavour of the cheese. Saffron Poached Pears
with Parmigiano Reggiano
This poached pear dessert
is so simple to make, yet it
tastes utterly divine. It’s not
2 Mix together the Parmigiano
Reggiano and ricotta cheese
thoroughly. Cover and set to one
too sweet and the Parmigiano side until ready to serve.
Reggiano and ricotta
filling complements the
pears perfectly.
3 Put the pears, wine and
sugar into a saucepan with
the lemon zest, saffron and star
anise. Heat and simmer very
Serves 4 gently for about 20 mins, until
the pears are tender. Cool them
150g / 5oz until barely warm.
Parmigiano Reggiano
150g / 5oz ricotta cheese
6 pears (not too ripe),
4 Share out the pears, with
some of the flavoured syrup,
between four serving bowls.
peeled, halved and cored Spoon the cheese mixture onto
600ml / 1pt medium white wine them and serve.
50g / 2oz caster sugar
Strip of lemon zest The pears can be
Generous pinch of saffron made up to three
2 star anise days in advance,
then covered and chilled until
1 Grate the Parmigiano
Reggiano very finely.
required. Warm them slightly
before serving to enjoy them at
their best.
www.fresh-magazine.co.uk fresh 101