A tribute to Emilia-Romagna’s king of cheeses, presenting Parmigiano Reggiano in five distinct textures and maturations — crisp, sauce, foam, wafer, and air.
Aging changes Parmigiano's chemistry, not just its intensity — the crystalline crunch you get at 48 months comes from tyrosine crystals that simply haven't formed yet at 18 months, which is why the youngest age here works as a smooth sauce and the oldest works as a crisp. Tasting all five side by side is really tasting one ingredient's entire timeline in a single bite.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- Black pepper oil (for garnish)
- Micro basil (for garnish)
- Parmigiano Crisp (see sub-recipe)
- Parmigiano Sauce (see sub-recipe)
- Parmigiano Foam (see sub-recipe)
- Parmigiano Wafer (see sub-recipe)
- Parmigiano Air (see sub-recipe)
Speciality Items:
- Silicone baking mat
- Immersion blender
- Strainer
- Gelatin
- Foamer
- Foamer Nitrogen Refill
- Food Scale
- Soy lecithin
- Cheese grater
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🍷Sommelier's Recommendation
Traditional Emilia pairing; cuts richness.
Structure + nutty tertiary notes = sublime with aged Parm.
Steps:
- Spoon warm sauce in center of a shallow bowl.
- Add Parmigiano foam, crisp, and wafer.
- Top with Parmigiano air.
- Finish with micro basil and a drizzle of black pepper oil.
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Parmigiano Crisp (24-month aged)
Ingredients:
- 50 g – Parmigiano Reggiano (24-month aged) (finely grated)
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. (175°C)
- Spread cheese into thin circles on a silicone mat.
- Bake 4–5 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Cool on a rack before use.
Warm Parmigiano Sauce (30-month aged)
Ingredients:
- 100 g – Parmigiano Reggiano (30-month aged)
- 200 mL – Milk
- 50 mL – Cream
Steps:
- Simmer milk and cream together.
- Add grated cheese, stir until melted.
- Blend and strain for a smooth emulsion.
Parmigiano Foam (36-month aged)
Ingredients:
- 150 mL – Parmigiano sauce (from above)
- 1 – Gelatin sheet (soaked)
Steps:
- Dissolve gelatin in warm Parmigiano sauce.
- Strain and transfer to foamer.
- Spray foam onto a baking sheet and keep warm until service.
Parmigiano Wafer (18-month aged)
Ingredients:
- 50 g – Parmigiano Reggiano (18-month aged)
- 25 g – Flour
- 50 mL – Water
Steps:
- Mix ingredients into a thin batter.
- Spread thin on a baking sheet and bake until crisp.
Parmigiano Air (48-month aged)
Ingredients:
- 100 mL – Parmigiano stock (steep cheese in hot water)
- 1 g – Soy lecithin
Steps:
- Blend stock with soy lecithin.
- Froth with immersion blender until airy foam forms.
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