PrintParmigiano Reggiano vs. Pecorino Romano or ??
I am partial to Parmigiano Reggiano these days, but for years I was a devout user of Pecorino Romano. I always purchased it from our local Italian purveyor of all things necessary for proper Italian food preparation. It was beautifully ground using a burr grinder. No powdery cheese, please! I now have a box grater, a rotary grater and 2 different size microplane graters. I feel I am cheating the dish if I do not grate the cheese myself as I am preparing the meal, but today as I was grating away, I felt conflicted. What say you?
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19 Comments:
I like pecorino romano often. I also buy a blend of both from wegmans. I was raised on romano, and my food reflects that.
JerzeeTomato at 9:19PM on 03/17/08
I like parm regg a lot! Romano is too strong for me. Probably what you grew up with has a lot to do with preferences. I think grating it yourself is fine for sprinkling some over pasta, passing around my cute little microplane and a hunk of cheese at the table, but if I'm making something that calls for a larger or specific amount, like an Alfredo sauce, I pull out the food processor. That does a herculean job in a short time. Noisy and so worth it. I wish I could find a less expensive alternative to parm regg. It pretty much breaks the bank.
PerkyMac at 10:17PM on 03/17/08
Grana Padano is a little less expensive but has a similar flavor profile.
Kim Nyland at 11:51PM on 03/17/08
Parmesano Reggiano is my preference and I like grana padano also. If you haven't tried piave, you simply must. It's probably my next favorite to parm reg. I never purchase pre-grated cheese from the grocery. It molds too quickly, plus I delight in the whole grating process. For topping dishes, I prefer the rasp style grater (microplane). For larger quantities of cheese I have several other graters, my favorite being an oval style with 2 grating tops and a sealing lid, from IKEA. It's brilliant!
frederika at 12:10AM on 03/18/08
pecorino romano's a bit on the salty side for me; i really only like in some specific dishes (and if the food I made is so atrocious I need to bury it in sodium). i love parmigiano reggiano but I can't afford it regularly. I usually get reggianito, or the Argentinian version of parm regg, which tastes more similar to good parm regg than American parmesan version.
As for grating... yeah, I just tend not to make anything that requires large amounts of grated parmesan. I = cheap & lazy. But as a flavour enhancer at the dinner table, fresh grated parm is unbeatable!
cafepeach at 12:11AM on 03/18/08
Parmigiano Reggiano is my all time favorite. Sometimes I buy myself a wedge and hide it a corner of the fridge where my family wont find it. I even have a collection of crusts I use for soup.
LearP at 2:51AM on 03/18/08
I grew up with Romano too, but now I tend to switch back and forth between Romano or Parmesan depending on what I'm in the mood for and what's available at the market. I have a micro plane grater that is great, but I also have a box grater. As mentioned in an earlier comment, I will pull out my food processor if I need a large amount for a recipe, but I have been known to buy pre-grated in a pinch. The flavor is nowhere near as good though.
Amandarama at 7:02AM on 03/18/08
I'm loving grana padana lately. It is an excellent substitute for reggiano, and really, I think, tastier to eat on its own. Plus, the price is right.
Kerosena at 10:04AM on 03/18/08
Depends on the dish. It's cow vs. sheep.
When I need a sweet nutty addition to an egg, cream, bolognese or bechamel sauce, or I want a hard cheese that I can eat by itself with wine, it's Parmigiano all the way.
When I want some salty zip & tang to roasted vegetables or vegetarian tomato sauces, Pecorino fits the bill.
In a risotto, as well as a minestrone, I like both.
lgvw1963 at 12:08PM on 03/18/08
totally depends on the dish...
i love them both!
cook eat FRET at 12:47PM on 03/18/08
I like both and all Italian cheese including the piave and gran padano. It really depends on what you're cooking.
mchow at 2:12PM on 03/18/08
Pecorino Romano stinks too much for me... Probably because it's sheep's milk, I dunno, I can't stand the smell or taste.
suburbangourmet at 4:30PM on 03/18/08
I really like grana padano and piave also. I am going to use them more often. When you get into the "habit" thing, it is nice to have that reminder. Thanks!
crazyspice at 4:42PM on 03/18/08
Not a fan of either, I think it's the butyric acid that puts me off (same reason why I hate most Hershey's chocolate). I don't know why though.
I've had parm regg a couple times, and while it tasted pretty good, the smell is too much for me to overcome. I do love other stinky cheeses, just not the ones with butyric acid.
deepitbhatia at 6:07PM on 03/18/08
Like most of you I go back and forth between the two or use a combination. Haven't tried grana padono but will. Always looking to save a buck without sacrificing flavor if I can.
PS fredrika-- i have that grater too. Love it for hard boiled eggs for salads...
JojoK at 7:08PM on 03/18/08
Although I like them both, I have to say that I prefer the Pecorino Romano.
It has more flavor, more punch especially with any type of tomato based sauce.
I'd use Parm with more subtle flavored dishes with a cream base or in a cheese course shaved with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar.
Grifola frondosa at 9:06PM on 03/18/08
The important thing is to grate it on the spot. I have a Mouli grater that was my grandmother's, but that doesn't matter--you can get a new one that's exactly the same, and any such device will make the difference between pre- and freshly grated.
jscheck at 9:42PM on 03/18/08
Generally, I prefer shaved (not grated) parm. But, it also depends on the dish. Also, I like to save the rind for soups and stews.
beth1 at 11:21PM on 03/18/08
They are totally different cheeses, both awesome. I keep blocks of both in my fridge, which brings me to your second point: If you are somehow feeling guilty about no longer buying pre-grated pecorino, buy it in a block and grate it yourself. That's what I do.
HunterAnglerGardenerCook at 11:06AM on 03/19/08