Parmigiano-Reggiano : A Simple Definition and it's uses.

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Parmigiano-Reggiano : A Simple Definition and it's uses.
After all, Italians have one more name reserved for Parmegiano-Reggiano: "The King of Cheese." Because although Italia is famous for the production of dairy products valued all over the world, no product enjoys such fame as hard blocks of straw-yellow cheese with a unique fruit-nut flavor. Traditionally, Parmesan cheese is made only from unpasteurized milk from cows grazing on grass or hay. The product is characterized by a strong aroma and granular, almost crystalline consistency, which translates into crispness and ease of rubbing. According to estimates, as much as 18% of cow's milk in Italy is used to make Parmesan!
History of Parmesan cheese
The medieval Cistercian and Benedictine monks of Parma are believed to be the authors of the first Parmigiano Reggiano. Probably already in the thirteenth century, the appearance and taste of cheese resembled a modern product, and in the fourteenth century, Boccaccio even included the word Parmesan in his memorable work "Decameron". The idea behind the creative clergy was simple: to create a cheese that could be kept on the shelves as long as possible. It turned out that this requirement goes hand in hand with dryness and hardness - hence the unusual texture of the Parmesan cheese.

From the 14th century on, Parmesan cheese began to travel - first to the neighboring regions of Italy, and in the 16th century, even across Europe. Seeing the success of hard blocks in French, German, and even English cuisine, the Duke of Parma in 1612 officially declared ownership of the name and exclusivity of the origin of the "King of Cheese".

Parmesan cheese-making process
Official restrictions on the production of Parmesan cheese specify that it must be made from the milk of mountain cows, and the entire processing must also take place in the mountains. In the past, they were mainly the Lombard red and the Lombard breed, but today the most popular breeding of Friesian cows.

Evening milk with partially separated fat and fresh morning milk is used for production. This mixture is heated in copper vats to a temperature of 33-35 degrees C while adding a special composition of lactic acid bacteria and calf rennet. Next comes the complicated process of heating and breaking up the lumps in the curdling milk. Finally, the lumps obtained are collected into a sheet of muslin and transferred to a stainless steel mold. Thanks to special mills, the cheese takes the shape of a disc.

After two days of molding, each disc is surrounded by a plastic strip with the imprint "Parmigiano-Reggiano" and the date of production, and then the cheeses land in a brine bath. The last phase of the product is aging for 12 months. The finished Parmesan cheese has a diameter of approx. 40 cm and weighs 38 kg each!


Interestingly, in its international fame, Parmesan cheese has even been immortalized in Robert Louis Stevenson's 1882 novel "Treasure Island"!

Parmesan cheese-making process
Official restrictions on the production of Parmesan cheese specify that it must be made from the milk of mountain cows, and the entire processing must also take place in the mountains. In the past, they were mainly the Lombard red and the Lombard breed, but today the most popular breeding of Friesian cows.

Evening milk with partially separated fat and fresh morning milk is used for production. This mixture is heated in copper vats to a temperature of 33-35 degrees C while adding a special composition of lactic acid bacteria and calf rennet. Next comes the complicated process of heating and breaking up the lumps in the curdling milk. Finally, the lumps obtained are collected into a sheet of muslin and transferred to a stainless steel mold. Thanks to special mills, the cheese takes the shape of a disc.

After two days of molding, each disc is surrounded by a plastic strip with the imprint "Parmigiano Reggiano" and the date of production, and then the cheeses land in a brine bath. The last phase of the product is aging for 12 months. The finished Parmesan cheese has a diameter of approx. 40 cm and weighs 38 kg each!

Parmesan cheese - vitamins and nutritional values
As one of the hardest yellow cheeses, Parmesan has a fairly high-fat content - as much as 28.6 g per 100 g of product. Due to the long aging period, these fats are broken down into short chains of fatty acids, which significantly improves their absorption.

Besides, Parmesan cheese is very rich in calcium - a portion of 50 g of cheese covers 55% of the daily requirement for this valuable element. However, the high sodium content is unfavorable, although, on the other hand, Parmesan cheese provides at the same time huge amounts of phosphorus, as well as considerable doses of zinc, magnesium, copper, and selenium. In terms of vitamins, Parmesan cheese is a great source of vitamins B12 and B2 and a product relatively rich in vitamin A.
Is Parmesan Cheese Healthy?
Due to the already mentioned fat and sodium content, Parmesan cheese is not a product that can be consumed with impunity in unlimited quantities. However, this legendary moderation is the key to enjoying the benefits of traditional Parma cheese.

Children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and those undergoing menopause can be recommended Parmesan cheese primarily as a concentrated source of calcium, decisive for the strength of bones, teeth, hair, and nails. In combination with phosphorus, of which there is also a lot in Parmigiano Reggiano, and a small dose of vitamin D, calcium allows you to strengthen the structure of bone tissue and delay its degradation, preventing osteoporosis. Studies show that children with adequate amounts of calcium on the diet are higher and have fewer fractures.

Also, the health benefits of eating Parmesan cheese include:
remineralization of the tooth enamel - after brushing your teeth and eating citrus fruit, dentists recommend giving up a piece of Parmesan cheese with high calcium content in your mouth, which will fill in any gaps in the enamel;
strengthening the intestinal bacterial flora;
providing the body with a substantial dose of wholesome protein;
supporting eyesight thanks to the content of vitamin A.

For those worried about high sodium levels, we would like to advise you that a 30-gram serving of cheese - just for breakfast or a snack - contains 15% of the daily allowance of sodium, so by avoiding over-salting, you can easily adhere to the limit without compromising your health.

Parmesan cheese is also recommended for people suffering from lactose intolerance. As a long-term cheese, like Cheddar cheese, it contains less than 0.5 g of milk sugar per 100 g of product, which is considered a trace amount.

Parmesan-Reggiano in the kitchen
Parmesan cheese is a cheese that is perfect for grinding on a grater, thanks to which it has gained great fame, primarily as an aromatic sprinkle for pasta, rice, or bread dishes. It can be rubbed into more or less fine chips, as well as into chips, which give salads a pleasant texture.

Here are two recipes straight from sunny Italy:

Eggplant with Parmesan cheese

Components:
3 eggplants
1 cup of flour
3 eggs
2 cups of breadcrumbs
5 cups of tomato sauce
200 g of mozzarella cheese
½ cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
olive oil

Preparation:
Cut the washed eggplants into centimeter slices and salt them - leave for half an hour, then drain the excess water with a paper towel. On three plates we pour flour with salt and pepper, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs. Coat each slice of eggplant in flour, egg, and finally in breadcrumbs and fry immediately in olive oil. Drain the slices golden brown on a paper towel. Pour 1 cup of tomato sauce into a casserole dish and cover the whole thing with eggplant slices. Put 100 g of shredded mozzarella on top, 1/3 portion of Parmesan cheese. Then cover it with half of the remaining sauce and repeat the layers: eggplant, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese. Put the rest of the sauce on top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake the dish for 45 minutes at 180 degrees.


Easy parmesan spaghetti

Components:
250 g of spaghetti
100 g of cherry tomatoes
half a cup of basil leaves
50 g of Parmegiano-Reggiano
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic

Preparation:
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package and drain it. Combine the oil, crushed garlic, chopped tomatoes, and basil in a large pot. Stir while heating over low heat. We add the pasta and continue to mix. We serve it immediately sprinkled with slices of Parmesan cheese

Parmesan cheese is also irreplaceable as an addition to tomato soup, toasts, pizza, stuffed, and baked vegetables or cookies such as crackers. However, lovers will agree that there is no greater pleasure than to enjoy it in its simplest form, i.e. in cubes as an accompaniment to wine and fruit!

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