5 perfect pasta cheeses
Not all pasta cheese is necessarily Parmesan. At the cheese shop, and sometimes even at the supermarket, you’ll find many more delicious Italian varieties. Which cheese goes with which pasta? We’ll explain.
Parmigiano Reggiano
This is the (only) real Parmesan cheese from Parma, northern Italy. This crumbly, hard cow’s milk cheese has been aged for two years, which is why it has such a full, robust flavour. Grated or shaved, this cheese gives your plate of pasta a beautiful finishing touch. It’s best not to sprinkle Parmesan over pasta with fish or shellfish; the sharp flavour of this cheese can make it impossible to taste them properly.
Pecorino Romano
This Italian hard cheese made from sheep’s milk has a salty flavour. That’s because Pecorino is washed in seawater during production. It clings perfectly to the pasta and its flavour pairs well with creamy Carbonara or classic pasta alla Gricia, and is the basis of the ultimate Cacio e pepe. You can also use it in light oil-based sauces.
Fontina
Fontina is a semi-soft holey cheese from the Italian Valle d’Aosta, a region in the Italian Alps. The cheese is made from cow’s milk and has a mild, buttery and perhaps even slightly sweet flavour that becomes more pronounced as the cheese ages. Fontina is a great cheese to cook with because it melts well. In terms of flavour, it pairs well with creamy, autumnal pasta dishes with mushrooms. Cut the cheese into cubes and let them melt almost completely, but not quite, in the sauce.
Buffalo mozzarella
This mild white ball of cheese is a perfect match for pasta with tomato sauce and is the centre of attention in the simple, classic Italian pasta alla caprese. When using this cheese, choose pasta shapes such as rotini and farfalle. Buffalo mozzarella, made from buffalo milk, is the most delicious option. This cheese doesn’t melt as well, but has a richer flavour. Add it to your pasta dish at the very end.
Asiago
A nutty, piquant hard cow’s milk cheese with a long finish. This mountain cheese pairs well with pasta containing spinach, porcini mushrooms and radicchio, and is also delicious stirred into somewhat creamier pasta dishes.
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