Ingredient Wiki: Parmigiano Reggiano

Parmigiano-Reggiano (IPA: [parmi'djano re'djano]) or Parmesan, is a hard granular cheese,highly concentrated and contains only 30% water and 70% nutrients. Very rich in protein, vitamin and mineral. Quickly digested and easily assimilated, dieticians often recommend it for children and the elderly, not to mention those who are concerned with their figures. Cooked but not pressed, named after the producing areas near Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and Bologna (all in Emilia Romagna), and Mantova in Lombardia, Italy. Under Italian law only cheese produced in these provinces may be labeled ?Parmigiano-Reggiano,? while European law classifies the name as a protected designation of origin.

Parmigiano is an Italian adjective for Parma. Parmesan is the French-language name for it and also serves as the loose term for the cheese in the English language. The name Parmesan is used for cheeses imitating Parmigiano-Reggiano, with phrases such as Italian hard cheese adopted to skirt legal constraints. The closest legitimate Italian cheese to Parmigiano-Reggiano is Grana Padano.

Parmigiano Reggiano is the king of Italian hard-grating cheeses made from cow?s milk. Once you have tasted this cheese grated over the top of a pasta dish you will always have it on hand!

All of the Ingredient Wiki has been created and compiled by I Sicilian and from sources on the web like Food Wikipedia and other Food Reference books