Table Talk: A cheesy attempt to make it into Guinness

By CLAIRE HOPLEY

Published on May 09, 2008

In American cookery Parmesan generally means the straw-colored powder that gets sprinkled over minestrone or pasta, where it often mixes with the tomatoes in the dish to form a reddish sludge.

More appetizingly, Parmesan can be an ingredient in or on breads and other baked goods or one of the lynch-pins of pesto and other sauces.

But at least until recently, Parmesan was rarely eaten as a piece of cheese in the same way we eat gorgonzola, Brie or Cheddar. Even flakes, as distinct from shreds or granules, of Parmesan were rare, so the actual taste of the cheese was lost or reduced to the slight saltiness, the hint of cheesiness, perceived when it is scattered on pasta or mixed with other ingredients.

Not surprisingly, this annoys the people who make the real thing: Parmigiano-Reggiano. It's one of Italy's most venerable cheeses, having been made since the Middle Ages in the region of Parma and Emilia. Typically it's made from the partially skimmed milk from an evening's milk combined with the whole milk from the next morning's milking.

The use of some semi-skimmed milk makes the cheese less rich than many other hard cheeses. After the curds have formed they are whisked, rather than cut or stirred as is usually the case with other hard cheeses. The whisking gives it a granular texture, hence the Italian word grana to characterize the class of cheese made by this method. Parmigiano-Reggiano is the maker we know best, and whose name we have Anglicized to Parmesan.

A further crucial point about the manufacture of the real thing is that it is aged in 85-pound wheels for 24 months, during which time it undergoes a series of natural transformations that contribute to its flavor, nutritional and textural characteristics. One of these is the formation of crystals, as the amino acids in the milk break down. These give the cheese its crunchiness and the tang it leaves on the tongue.

Since we don't always appreciate all these many qualities, Whole Foods Market recently attempted to highlight them by getting listed in the "Guinness Book of World Records" for the most number of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses "cracked" at any one time. Each of the company's 270 store participated by cracking one whole wheel of cheese.

Locally, Brian Di Pippo of Hadley Whole Foods' cheese department, took the job in hand. And it is, indeed, quite a task, requiring five Italian tools. First, Di Pippo explains, "You score the top across the middle. Then you go round the side and turn the wheel of cheese over and do the bottom, so you have a cut all around."

The next step is to take another tool and use it rather like a chisel, hammering it into the top cut in order to deepen it. Then finally, two more tools are inserted into the deepened cut, and by pushing on one to the right and the other to the left, the cheese cracks open, - with a satisfyingly clunky clacking sound - to reveal its rugged, craggy, crystalline surface.

"The second it's cut is the peak moment for eating it," said Di Pippo. It will never be as good as this."

On April 12, when Whole Foods made its record attempt, he sliced off shards to give to customers. Almost all hung around to get a second serving because the salty, creamy taste of the fresh cheese, along with its crackle in the mouth, is both unique and extraordinarily "moreish."

Of course, in the nature of things, eating Parmesan just seconds after it has been opened is a rare occurrence. Fortunately, while connoisseurs swoon at the rapture of those first few moments, real Parmesan, the kind marketed under its legal name, Parmigiano-Reggiano, which means it must be made in a specified region of Italy, can capture the gustatory imagination for a long time after it has been "cracked."

One of the simplest ways to enjoy it is used least often: simply cut in shards and served with grapes and a glass of wine. On the day of the record-attempting crack at Hadley's Whole Foods, the wine department offered tastes of Italian wines to pair with it. Di Pippo and Ali Zaitchik of the store's wine department agreed that the classic pairing was with Chianti. But a San Giovese called La Carrara was also proving popular with customers, while those who prefer white wine to red, were enjoying the 2007 Barone Fini Pinot Grigio with it.

While simply savoring Parmesan as a cheese with wine is wonderful, it is undoubtedly the case that it is a vital ingredient in Italian cooking, an item so important that it contributes significantly to the "Italian" taste of the traditional pasta, soups, risottos, vegetables and other dishes of classic Italian cuisine.

Joan Eckert, Whole Foods' food demonstrator, had made a butternut and Parmesan risotto on the day of the assault on the record, and the Parmesan gave it an additional creaminess as well as an inimitable tang. The recipe for this delicious main dish follows, as does a recipe for Spaghetti with Lemon, which is topped with Parmesan and basil. This is a good quick spring and summer supper dish.

Another wonderful Parmesan recipe is for the crisps made simply by making little mountains of the shredded cheese on a baking sheet and letting them melt into delectable crisps. These are great for munching while you wait for the grill to produce the burgers or spare ribs. It isn't exactly a traditional Parmesan recipe, but it's definitely one to try. And so is the Parmigiano Ice Cream.. It's not for licking from cones, or for serving with apple pie, but for savoring before or after a meal with a selection of fruit and nuts, and some good bread. Then too, with the local asparagus upon us, don't forget that some slices of Parmesan make the perfect topping.

As for that Guinness Book record, Ann Walsh-Sullivan, who organized the Parmesan cracking at the Hadley branch of Whole Foods Market, says, "Apparently, Guinness sends a letter to tell us whether we made it or not, but we don't know when it will come. We're waiting with bated breath - Parmesan-bated breath."

PARMESAN CRISPS

4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano

pinch cayenne or paprika

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or thyme

Preheat oven to 325. Toss cheese with cayenne and sage or thyme. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Spoon heaping tablespoons of cheese mixture onto the baking sheet, spacing about two inches apart.

Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, lightly press to flatten, making circles about 2 inches in diameter. Bake until slightly browned on top, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool a few minutes to firm slightly, then use a spatula to loosen and remove to cool further and harden.

Repeat process until all cheese is used. Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container, layered between waxed paper.

PARMESAN ICE CREAM

At Whole Foods, marketing team leader Ann Walsh-Sullivan says this recipe is more like a twist on the cheese course or something to serve with pre-meal drinks rather than a dessert of the usual ice-creamy kind.

1 cup heavy cream

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Accompaniments: aged balsamic vinegar, walnuts or almonds, grapes, apple or pear slices, whole grain or raisin bread.

Bring cream, garlic and nutmeg to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, watching constantly. Remove garlic and reduce heat to medium-low. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until all the cheese is incorporated. Continue stirring until cheese is melted, about 1 minute.

Remove from heat, pour into a shallow, heat-resistant dish and cool to room temperature. Cover dish and refrigerate until cheese stiffens. Scoop out small portions with a spoon or a melon baller. Garnish with your choice of accompaniments listed above.

BUTTERNUT RISOTTO

This is the Butternut Risotto Joan Eckert served at Whole Foods Market on the day of the Parmesan "cracking." She had lots of extra grated Parmesan to sprinkle on top.

4 tablespoons butter, in 1/2-inch cubes

1 butternut squash, about 1 pound to 1-1/2 pounds

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cups Arborio rice

5-6 cups vegetables broth at simmering point

1/2 cup white wine

3/4 cup grated Parmesan

ground pepper and sea salt to taste

1 tablespoon finely chopped sage

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Slowly melt butter in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add squash and onion. Saute gently for 5 minutes or until onion becomes translucent. Add rice and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until rice looks opaque, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour in wine and simmer until liquid evaporates.

Add half of the simmering broth all at once to the rice. Raise heat so that liquid bubbles over the entire surface. Cook rice a total of 18 minutes from this point, stirring often.

As rice absorbs broth, add some more, a little at a time. Be careful not to add too much broth at the end of the cooking time because the rice should be naturally creamy, not swimming in broth or fluffy and dry.

Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano and sage. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, cover and let stand several minutes. Stir in parsley and serve with more grated Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table.

SPAGHETTI WITH LEMON AND PARMESAN

1 pound spaghetti or other pasta

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup packed fresh torn basil leaves

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

6 springs basil for garnish

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the manufacturer's directions. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large frying pan without letting it sizzle. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice, and the salt and pepper. Heat for a minute but don't let it boil.

After draining the spaghetti, toss it with the butter-lemon mixture, then add the basil leaves and the Parmesan and toss lightly again. Serve in pasta bowls with a garnish of a basil sprig and more Parmesan for sprinkling at the table.