Your favorite recipes using Parmigiano-Reggiano

[Mimeea]

I've just acquired a 1lb. chunck of Zingerman's reggiano cheese and am stumped on how to use it, so I thought you all might be able to help me out. Since this is probably the only time in a long time that I'll have this special cheese, I don't want to make just any recipe with it. But, rather, something that is already a winner.

So, what is your favorite recipe using parmigiano-reggiano?

[gperls]

I think nothing highlights a good parmesan better than a caesar salad. That anchovy/parmesan combination is great.

Another good way to serve it is to shave the cheese with a potato peeler, dribble an aged balsamic vinegar over it, and serve with crostini.

[cori44]

If you really want to enjoy the taste, shavings on any cooked veggie or on a cold salad is the way to go.

Other great PR dishes are pestos, almost any crostini, Spaghetti Carbonara, and Risotto dishes. Also, any kind of soup with some PR on top, esp. pasta and bean combos like Fagioli or minestrone. I actually love it shaved as part of antipasto with bread and balsamic to dip into, with a glass of red wine.

Don't grate more than you'll use though. It looses it's great nuttiness pretty easily.

[Beth]

HAve you tried the penne with Italian sausage and pumpkin (it's puree in a white wine and chicken stock sauce -- posted on this BB and apparently originated with Rachel Ray on Food TV)? That's something other than the tomato based sauce pastas where its really good. Salads, soup, crostini --- enjoy it!

[Middydd]

Reggiano is good in big shavings in a salad. I particularily like a combination of pears, Bibb lettuce, shaved reggiano, a bit of crumnled bacon or pancetta and a sherry vinaigrette.

[Searcher]

Giada De Laurentiis of Everyday Italian on the Food Network made these on one of her shows. I havent' tried them yet but have been meaning to. They look good. She said they were used to sop up sauce.


Biscotti alla Parmigana
Makes 26 Savory Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup softened unsalted butter
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Pinch sea salt
In a bowl of a food processor add flour, butter, Parmesan cheese, rosemary and salt. Pulse until crumbly, but sticks together when pressed with fingers. Pour onto a floured pastry board and gather into a ball. Cover it with plastic wrap and allow dough to rest in refrigerator for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Remove dough from the refrigerator and allow it to warm slightly, about 10 minutes. Place rested dough on a lightly floured pastry board and roll out to 1/2-inch thickness. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper. Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out circles and place them on the baking sheet, 1-inch apart. Gather dough scraps into a ball. Roll out leftover dough and cut additional circles. Continue until all the dough is used. If the dough becomes too soft and the butter starts to melt, place it back into the refrigerator to firm up again.
Place in oven and bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

[beckms]

Does it count if you just eat big chunks right off the wedge? That's my fave recipe... :o

[Guest]

Originally posted by beckms
Does it count if you just eat big chunks right off the wedge? That's my fave recipe... :o

Yes!! My two favorite ways to use it are to eat it au natural like Beckms and grated over pasta.

[tigermorris]

Beth,

Could you please post the recipe with penne, italian sausage and pumpkin. it sounds interesting. I made the recipe from CL Nov 03 with pumpkin and gorgonzola cheese in a sauce made from evaporated skim milk and cornstarch that was very good.

Thanks

[Beth]

Originally posted by tigermorris
Beth,

Could you please post the recipe with penne, italian sausage and pumpkin. it sounds interesting. I made the recipe from CL Nov 03 with pumpkin and gorgonzola cheese in a sauce made from evaporated skim milk and cornstarch that was very good.

Thanks

Sure. I thought about trying the one you have made, but I didn't have gogonzola and I knew we like this one.


Penne with Sausage and Pumpkin

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage (turkey sausage is fine)
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped (a well-rounded tsp of the stuff in a jar works)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tablespoons (½ to 1 tsp powdered dry sage)
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock, canned or paper container
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream ( I have only used evap skim milk or skim milk with some added powdered milk)
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves.

NOTES: I usually buy a package of ground lean turkey, which is about 20 oz., and crumble and brown it with about 2T of Penzey's Italian Sausage Seasoning. That's leaner and easier than squishing the stuff out of the sausage casings. ;)

[Mimeea]

Originally posted by Beth
HAve you tried the penne with Italian sausage and pumpkin (it's puree in a white wine and chicken stock sauce -- posted on this BB and apparently originated with Rachel Ray on Food TV)? That's something other than the tomato based sauce pastas where its really good. Salads, soup, crostini --- enjoy it!

I just got back from TJ's with all the ingredients for this. Will be trying it tomorrow night. I'll report back with how it turns out!

[aggie94]

Another vote for right off the wedge in hunks. :D

But if you're looking for more recipes, this is one of my favorite CL dishes. It calls for simple, yet GOOD quality ingredients:

Pasta With Prosciutto and Peas

Recipe By :Cooking Light Magazine. June 2001. Page: 99.
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Cooking spray
3 ounces very thin slices prosciutto, chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 cups hot cooked fusilli (about 12 ounces
uncooked short twisted spaghetti)
1 cup (4 ounces) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 package (10-ounce) frozen peas, cooked and drained

Directions.
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add prosciutto; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan. Add oil and garlic; cook 1 minute or until garlic begins to brown. Combine prosciutto, oil mixture, pasta, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; toss to coat. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup).