Hail the King of Cheeses

If you ask me what I want to eat for my last meal, you can be sure that cheese will figure prominently on the menu. But, of course, for such a lofty occasion, the cheese must be one of outstanding character. And, while there are many cheeses that I truly adore, there is only one that is worthy of this final repast: Parmigiano Reggiano, the King of Cheeses.

Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard, cow’s milk cheese that can only be made in a legally defined zone in Italy covering portions of five provinces, four in Emilia-Romagna and one in neighboring Lombardy.

It is produced in 650 small to medium-size cheese factories, called “caseifici,” where skilled cheese makers make four to ten or more 80-lb wheels a day. And while these caseifici have modern equipment, the basic principals of making Parmigiano are the same today as they’ve been for the past 800 years.

To make each wheel requires nearly 600 quarts of the highest-quality milk delivered fresh, each morning and evening, from the nearly 10,000 dairies that dot the hills and valleys in the controlled district. The milk comes from cows that are fed only grass or hay and, although the milk is subjected to modern hygienic control, all of the natural flora remain intact.

The procedure for making Parmigiano is closely regulated to ensure the cheese maintains its extraordinary quality. Only natural whey culture is permitted as a starter, together with calf rennet. The only additive permitted is salt, which is used to prepare a brine in which the cheese is immersed for about 20 days during its maturation.

Parmigiano is slowly and carefully aged in a temperature-controlled storehouse on wooden shelves for a minumum of one year, although most wheels are aged 24 to 30 months, some longer. During this maturation process, each wheel is turned, checked and brushed regularly and when it’s finally mature and determined to have no imperfections, it’s graded and designated ready for market.

The interior of a young, 12-month-old Parmigiano is a yellowish-white color, while the 24- to 30-month wheels are deeper in color, almost straw-colored, with a harder, more “granular” texture. Every wheel of Parmigiano can be identified by the words Parmigiano Reggiano that are imprinted all over the burnished, golden rind. And if you look closely, you’ll also see the date that the cheese was made.

Parmigiano has an extraordinarily rich, nutty flavor unlike any other cheese. That, in fact, is the point: This cheese is unlike any other cheese. Do not be tempted to substitute other cheeses called “Parmesan.” Parmesan is simply a generic term used to describe many industrial, mass-produced cheeses of much lesser quality, such as the ubiquitous domestic grated product in the green canister that has little relationship to cheese, much less to Parmigiano.

One popular Italian cheese, Grana Padano, looks similar to Parmigiano and, because it costs less, it is often used as a substitute for it. While Grana Padano is a good cheese, it is different than Parmigiano Reggiano and does not have the depth of flavor, richness or lingering finish of a great Parmigiano. At the risk of repeating myself, there is no substitute for Parmigiano Reggiano.

When purchasing Parmigiano, always buy a hunk of it, even if you intend to grate it. Then grate it (with a hand grater), or shave it (with a carrot peeler) just before serving to get the fullest expression of its magnificent flavor.

When entertaining guests, I love to put a large wedge of Parmigiano on my table alongside slices of Prosciutto di Parma (which comes from the same region) to nibble on before dinner.

I also grate or shave Parmigiano over some of my favorite pasta dishes, such as pesto or pasta Bolognese, even simple tomato sauce made from garden-fresh tomatoes. And what minestrone or bean soup doesn’t benefit from a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmigiano.

One of my favorite dishes, which I’d also include in my last meal, relies on Parmigiano Reggiano for the profound, spectacular flavor it imparts to the cooking as well as serving. The dish, Pasta in Brodo (Pasta in broth), also happens to be a specialty of Emilia-Romagna.

On a recent visit to this region, I discovered that there are probably as many recipes for it as there are cooks who make it.

Here is my tested version. Although I frequently make it with homemade pasta, when time is of essence, I use a top-quality imported egg pasta, such as the Cipriani tagliolini that’s sold in my local gourmet food store. I’ve also had great success with the la Campofilone pasta, or even the DeCecco egg pasta, which is the most readily available of the commercial pastas I’ve named.

And although I prefer my brodo with thin ribbon noodles, you can really make it with any shape of pasta and you’re guaranteed to be happy. Many people love this dish with tortellini, so feel free to experiment and decide which pasta you prefer.

Here’s the recipe. Buon Appetito!

Photography by Jim White