Italy makes a cheese for every occasion, from grating cheeses that define its pasta dishes to soft, milky fresh cheeses and bold aged wheels. This guide runs through the best known Italian cheeses and how to use them. Many sit within the Italian cheese selection in the shop.
Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano
Parmigiano Reggiano is the king of cheeses, a hard, grainy, deeply savoury cheese for grating and for eating in nuggets. Grana Padano is its milder, more affordable cousin, just as versatile in the kitchen.
Pecorino
Pecorino is the family of sheep milk cheeses, from the sharp, salty Pecorino Romano that seasons Roman pasta dishes to softer table versions eaten in slices.
Provolone and the stretched curd cheeses
Provolone is a firm stretched curd cheese from mild dolce to sharp piccante, a cousin of mozzarella and a great melter. Fresh mozzarella and burrata are the soft, milky stars of the same pasta filata family.
Gorgonzola and the blues
Gorgonzola is Italy's famous blue, made in a creamy dolce and a firmer, sharper piccante. It melts into a luxurious sauce for pasta and gnocchi and adds a bold note to a board.
Using Italian cheeses
Grate the hard cheeses over pasta, risotto and soups, melt provolone and mozzarella into baked dishes and pizza, and serve the rest on a cheese platter with cured meats, olives and bread. A medium Italian red ties it all together.
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Cut fresh from the wheel, carefully vacuum packed and delivered chilled, fast and fresh across Europe.
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