My Favorite Italian Cheeses

I love cheese and although Reggiano Parmigiano is one of my favorite Italian cheeses, there are others that rank equally as high. With so many to choose from, I have highlighted the ones that my family and friends enjoy when we get together.

Gorgonzola
Named for a town outside Milan where it was originally made, Gorgonzola is basically the Italian version of Blue Cheese. It can be buttery or firm, crumbly and quite salty, with a ‘bite’ from its blue veining. It has been made since the early Middle Ages but only became marbled with greenish-blue mold in the eleventh century. Gorgonzola goes well with pears and grapes, perfect for a wine and cheese party and is also used on salads.

Pecorino
Is a hard cheese made from sheep’s milk and the word, pecora, means sheep in Italian. This cheese hails from the south. It is soft and mellow when young and becomes sharp and tangy with age. Most pecorino are named with their area of origin, hence pecorino sardo for Sardinian cheese, toscano for Tuscan and romano for Roman cheese. Romano is the hardest and saltiest with a hint of walnut and suits very robust sauces. It grates or flakes beautifully into sauces, stuffings and meatballs. If you use this in a dish that doesn’t call for pecorino, remember to use less salt in the recipe.

Asiago
This straw colored aged cheese is peppered with tiny holes. Asiago is sharp with a nutty taste and is a good melting and crusting cheese (good for breading chicken and veal). Asiago is made in the Vicenza and Trento regions of the Italian Alps and is often paired with grapes and figs. This cheese is also grated into salads, soups, pastas and sauces. There are two types of asiago cheese: fresh Asiago (Pressato) and mature Asiago (Asiago d´Allevo). Fresh Asiago has an off white color and is milder in flavor than Asiago d´Allevo. Asiago d´Allevo also has a more yellowish color and is somewhat grainy in texture. It is a delicious alternative to more common and well known cheeses such as Cheddar.

Provolone
Aged provolone is the pear or cone shaped cheese you see in slings hanging in Italian markets. A Southern Italian specialty, it can be made with either buffalo or cow’s milk. Provolone is like mozzarella but once it’s aged (provolone piccante), the result is sharp, spicy and mildly smoky. Grate this cheese over salads or cubed for antipasto platters. Provolone dolce (sweet) has a very mild taste and is lovely after a main meal or in a cheese platter.

Parmigiano Reggiano
This beautiful cheese is made from partially skimmed milk of grass or hay fed cows. Preservatives are forbidden (salt is the only additive permitted) and has to be aged at least 12 months. Parmigiano Reggiano is only produced in the provinces of Parma, Reggio-Emilia, Modena, Bologna and Mantua. Reggiano tends to have grainier crystals and more fruity flavors than grana padano.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: When grating these cheeses, only grate what you need as the flavor is quickly lost. If you use hard cheeses frequently, wrap them in a clean, damp cheesecloth and store in the fridge. For longer storage enclose tightly in clean plastic wrap and make sure to replace the wrap each time the cheese is used. To get paper thin slices, use a vegetable peeler. With the exception of provolone, one of the ways to enjoy these cheeses as an appetizer is to place a slice of cheese on a cracker followed by quince paste. The salty and sharp taste from the cheese and sweetness of the quince go very well together. Enjoy!