3 quick recipes with Parmigiano Reggiano

Parmigiano Reggiano in the kitchen: recipes and ideas

The holiday season is the perfect time to indulge in some of your favorite foods.

One of the most popular Italian cheeses and exported to the world, Parmigiano Reggiano is a great addition to any dish. Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard cheese that can be used in many dishes with its strong and salty taste. It is an Italian cheese that goes well with many different dishes. It can be used as an ingredient in soups and sauces, or added to pasta dishes or pizza for extra flavor. You can grate, chop or melt and add to your favorite dish.

Cheese can also be eaten as is on its own or with other types of foods such as fruits, nuts and bread. In short, often an evergreen product in every Italian home and in every gastronomic basket during the holidays, what can you cook to honor this cheese and to present something different on the table from a platter of mixed cheeses and cured meats?

Quick recipes with Parmigiano Reggiano

The first recipe is a classic : Genoese Pesto. Perfect for seasoning gnocchi or the typical trofie that we find more and more often in the fantastic gastronomic Christmas baskets. It is a delicious dish that will warm you up during these cold winter days: especially if we prepare the pesto ourselves.

The second recipe is easy and very scenic : baskets of Parmigiano Reggiano and cured meats. This idea contains all the flavors of the holidays: DOP and IGP cured meats, good cheese and a very particular presentation.

The third recipe is a dish that recalls French aromas : croutons - for the occasion a nice baguette - fruit and balsamic vinegar. This dish can serve as an appetizer or main course for a holiday meal if someone wants to stay light.

Pesto sauce

Genoese pesto is a type of pesto originating from Genoa, Italy. Pesto is typically made from crushed garlic and fresh basil leaves mixed with olive oil and pine nuts. The sauce can also be made by combining the ingredients in a food processor or blender.

The traditional Genoese pesto recipe uses Parmigiano Reggiano and pine nuts for the sauce. This type of pesto differs from other types because it uses neither salt nor vinegar to preserve freshness, as it is not meant to be stored for long periods of time like other types of pesto are.

Here is the traditional recipe for Genoese pesto.

Ingredients: 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Method: place the basil leaves and garlic in a food processor and chop finely - also add an ice cube to prevent the basil from cooking. Add the parmesan and work again until it is finely chopped. Add the pine nuts and olive oil and process until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Parmesan baskets with cured meats

These baskets are an excellent gift idea for those who love cheeses and cured meats but want something different from the usual cutting board. Parmesan baskets are filled with a variety of cheeses including parmesan, grana padano and provolone and also include cured meats such as salami and ham.

This is a great recipe to make with kids because it's easy to follow, has step by step instructions and can be made before Christmas.

Super quick and super fun to make . We take a non-stick pan and lay some baking paper or lightly butter it. We create small circles with a gentle dose of grated Parmesan and wait for it to begin to melt and bubble.

As soon as it heats up, remove the flat ciadina, place it on the bottom of an upside down glass and let it thicken, holding the shape. Once the baskets have been created we can fill them with diced fruit, diced cured meats or other cheeses of your choice with aromas on top.

Crostini with Parmigiano Reggiano and fruit

This is the recipe for crostini with Parmigiano Reggiano and fruit. It's an easy dish, beautiful to look at - and Instagram - and quick that you can prepare even at the last minute. Crostini with Parmigiano Reggiano and fruit are a perfect dish to serve at any time of the Christmas day: even as a break from the main courses.

Ingredients : 1 baguette, cut into 12 slices, 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, 2 cups mixed fruit, such as strawberries and blueberries (or other seasonal fruit), sliced ​​or halved if large, and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.

The recipe: preheat the oven to 180°. Cut the baguette into 1/2cm slices and place on a baking tray. Brush each slice with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown on both sides.

Remove from the oven and garnish each crostini with a heaping spoonful of grated Parmigiano Reggiano, then add sliced ​​fruit such as pears or apples, or other fruit such as figs or persimmons which are in season at this time of year and a spoonful of Balsamic Vinegar Modena.