The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, the governing body for Parmigiano Reggiano Protected Destination of Origin (PDO), marks its 90th birthday this year.
Founded in 1934, the Consortium’s efforts throughout the last century include quadrupling Parmigiano Reggiano production and working to promote the Made in Italy designation globally, according to the business. Most recently, the cheese’s export quota has reached 47 percent.
In 2023, 292 dairies hailing from the DOP production zones of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Mantova, the right of the Po’ River, and the left of the Reno River, yielded 160,000 tons of cheese, said the Consortium. The cheeses come in varieties including Kosher and Halal.
“We may be 90 years old, but we feel more energetic and excited for the future than ever,” said Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Consortium, in a statement. “We are currently in a moment of change that the inevitable revolutions of the future are bringing: sustainability, the management of production costs in an unpredictable world, and more. These elements, central in the future of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, will unfold in spheres that will be governed by the Consortium, which was founded on the principle of the power of collective action.”
Check out these desserts featuring parmesan as we celebrate 90 years!
Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Bonbons
Ingredients
Method
- Cut the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese into pieces having the size of half a walnut. Melt the chocolate bain-marie.
- Dip the cheese pieces into the melted chocolate using a fork. Let them dry on a sheet of waxed paper, then serve.
Parmigiano Reggiano Berry Crumble
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180° C. Carefully combine the berries, rhubarb, vanilla essence, cornflour and reserved fruit juice then pour into individual ramekins.
- Mix together oatmeal, flour, brown sugar and 50 g Parmigiano Reggiano in a bowl and rub in the butter to give a fine breadcrumb texture.
- Spoon the oatmeal mixture over the fruit, sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden and crunchy.
Parmigiano Reggiano Ice Cream
Ingredients
Method
- Bring the cream to the boil with the sugar, stirring constantly, then remove from the heat and add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, stirring until it melts. Allow to cool then scrape into a freezer box, cover and freeze overnight.
- Serve with chopped strawberries, a grinding of black pepper, drizzle of sticky balsamic vinegar and a 100% cacao & Parmigiano Reggiano wand.
Parmigiano Reggiano Cheesecake
Ingredients for Cheesecake
Ingredients for Sweet Cheese Tuile
Ingredients for Service
Method
- Cheesecake: Line a 23 cm cake tin. Mix digestive crumbs, sugar and butter. Spoon over base of the tin and press down. Preheat oven to 170° C. Mix cheese and condensed milk until fluffy. Add flour, lemon juice and Parmigiano Reggiano. Add eggs and pour mixture over the biscuit base. Cook for 1 hour 10 minutes and cool before serving.
- Sweet Cheese Tuile: Cream together butter and icing sugar. Slowly beat in egg, fold in flour and Parmigiano Reggiano. Spread thin layers of the mixture into a greaseproof sheet. Sprinkle over almonds and more sugar. Bake for three to four minutes until golden and quickly curl around a rolling pin.
- To Serve: Whisk clotted cream with sugar and vanilla essence. Serve slices of cheesecake with red berry purée, clotted cream and top with mint. Garnish with blueberries.
Parmigiano Reggiano Aspic
Ingredients
Method
- Soften gelatine sheets putting them in cold water. Grate orange peel, being careful to avoid peeling the pith inside (it is possible to replace orange with lemon). Squeeze orange juice (or lemon).
- Put white sugar, water, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, glucose, orange (or lemon) juice into the Cooking machine appliance and blend them for 12 minutes at 70° C. First, you need to mix this fast and then you reduce speed, then you increase the speed again (giving you a mousse). Squeeze the gelatine and add it, speedy mix again. Pour the mixture slowly (using a sieve) and let it cool down.
- Put it into moulds of your choosing, and place in the fridge a minimum of two hours, then sprinkle both icing sugar and grated orange peel. If you prefer, it is possible to put balsamic reduction instead of orange peel on the top.
Parmigiano Reggiano Mousse with Honey and Lavender
Ingredients
Method
Wash the lavender flowers thoroughly, dry, and allow to infuse in the honey for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grate the Parmigiano Reggiano and melt it in hot milk. Leave to cool. Whip the cream and add the cold milk in a trickle, the ricotta cheese and a pinch of salt whilst folding the mixture. Fill small single-serving glasses and garnish with the lavender honey.
