Parmigiano Reggiano

This is an Italian hard cheese with a granular texture and complex flavour. It is sharp, fruity, nutty and meaty. It is produced in the provinces of Palma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and Bologna and has European Protected Designation of Origin status. It has been protected under Italian law since 1955. Made from a mixture of fresh unpasturised and semi skimmed cow’s milk. It is completely natural and contains no artificial additives or preservatives. The only other ingredients are rennet and Mediterranean sea salt. The blended milk is placed in copper lined vats and heated to a temperature of 35°C. Calf’s rennet is then added and the mixture allowed to curdle for about 10 minutes. The curd is then broken down into small pieces resembling rice grains. The temperature is then gradually raised to 55°C before being allowed to rest for about an hour. The mixture is then pressed though muslin. The solids are placed into flat and rounded stainless steel moulds which resemble wheels. The remaining whey is traditionally fed to local pigs, these pigs are used to produce the cured ham prosciutto di Parma. The moulds are closed and held tight by a spring loaded buckle. This is released after a few days and an embossed metal plate inserted into the mould, this plate contains the Parmigiano-Reggiano name, the producer’s identification number, and the month and year of production. These details will be imprinted into the matured cheese. The mould is resealed with a leather belt. The cheese is next immersed in a brine tank containing high levels of Mediterranean sea salt for 20 days. The cheese is then allowed to mature naturally for between 20-30 months. Each cheese will weigh about 45 kilos, or 100 pounds.

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