PARMIGIANO REGGIANO

In my house we cook a lot, and Pasta is by far what we cook the most. Regardless of the sauce we use Parmesan Cheese is a must! So you can imagine the excitement I got when I was invited to the Parmigiano Reggiano cooking class.

As we arrived we were greeted with a glass of Prosecco to lighten up the mood, and then were taken right into the class, which was a terrific learning experience.

The first thing they taught us was that under Italian law, only parmesan cheese produced in Bologna, Mantua, Modena, Reggio Emilia or Parma may be labeled "Parmigiano-Reggiano".

We also learned that it's better to buy the cheese in big pieces rather than grated, and that the cheese should be grated only when you're going to eat it, because the flavors are conserved better that way.

They divided us in a few groups, and each group did a different recipe, all using parmigiano reggiano. While we were doing our recipe, we got to see how the other groups were preparing their own special recipes, so we really had fun and learned a lot.

The class was amazing, the chef thoroughly guided us through all of the recipes and gave us good techniques that were very helpful to use on a daily basis.

This is the list of recipes we cooked. If you want any details please send me an e-mail and I will be happy to send you the complete recipe with instructions on how to prepare it:

- Fried Porchetta & Parmigiano Reggiano Ravioli with Chimichurri Aioli.

- Parmigiano Reggiano Cilantro Crusted Salmon with Boniato Puree and Grilled Key lime.

- Parmigiano Reggiano Tartlets filled with Shrimp Scampi.

- Sage Parmigiano Reggiano Bread Pudding Muffins, stuffed with Walnuts and Roasted Turkey, served with Traditional Turkey Gravy.

- Parmigiano Reggiano Chorizo Hasselback Potatoes with Mushroom Parmesan Cream Sauce.

- Coconut Parmigiano Reggiano Rice Pudding with grilled Pineapple.

At the end we got to eat all of the delicious food we had cooked and we paired it with a great wine. It was such an amazing and fun night!

Thank you South Florida Bloggers for the invite and Parmigiano Reggiano for hosting the event. I also want to mention the incredible staff of The Biltmore Culinary Academy for your great teaching skills.