# Wedge Parmigiano-Reggiano - How long will it last?



## legend_018 (Sep 9, 2010)

I bought a wedge of Parmigiano reggiano.  it says auricchio parmesan reggiano and it's net weight is .50lb. It was $9.00

How long should I expect this to last. I'm obviously not going to the whole wedge for one pasta dinner.

Thanks so much!

Mary


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## GB (Sep 9, 2010)

I have had it last quite a few months.


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## Andy M. (Sep 9, 2010)

It should last for months.  Store it in a ziploc bag in the cheese drawer.  Don't wrap it in plastic wrap etc.


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## legend_018 (Sep 9, 2010)

Thanks - good to know.


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## 4meandthem (Sep 9, 2010)

About 2 days in my house.


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## legend_018 (Sep 9, 2010)

4meandthem said:


> About 2 days in my house.



Do you eat it plain? Or always on something? What kind of things do you put it on?


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## 4meandthem (Sep 9, 2010)

I like it plain with a glass of apricot wine or similar.

I save the hard rinds for mac n cheese.I chop them small and mix with sauce into the pasta before baking.

There are a lot of things you can do with a parmesan tuile.
Make tubes,baskets,rounds and fill them with anything.


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## pdswife (Sep 9, 2010)

I love it plain or melted on a bagel.  Yummy!


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## mollyanne (Sep 9, 2010)

It looks attractive as a last step before serving to sprinkle it all over any italian or mediterranean dish or salad and let it sprinkle on the rim of the plate too. 

Also, I use a ton of it when making pesto with fresh basil, roasted pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil.

.


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## Andy M. (Sep 9, 2010)

mollyanne, next time you make pesto, try unsalted pistachio nuts in place of the pine nuts.  I think you'll love it.  I got the idea from Alton Brown.


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## 4meandthem (Sep 9, 2010)

I LOVE pesto! I am going to try the pistachio trick.

I like filling big portabella caps with it and baking them.


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## mollyanne (Sep 9, 2010)

Andy M. said:


> mollyanne, next time you make pesto, try unsalted pistachio nuts in place of the pine nuts. I think you'll love it. I got the idea from Alton Brown.


Thanks, Andy...i will. I've used walnuts before because they are cheaper and healthier but I'll bet the flavor of the pistachio nuts would be better.


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## merstar (Sep 9, 2010)

Grate it over salads and soups. Make Eggplant or Chicken Parmesan.

Use it in these delicious recipes: 

ROASTED TOMATOES WITH GARLIC AND GORGONZOLA (AND/OR PARMIGIANO REGGIANO):
Hello 2009: Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic and Gorgonzola « Je Mange la Ville

SPINACH STUFFED MUSHROOMS
Olive Oyl's Treat For Popeye Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms) Recipe - Food.com - 11644


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## GB (Sep 9, 2010)

Depending on the application, I sometimes like to shave it instead of grate it. A good parm reg will have those great crunchy crystals in in that you do not get to experience with grated cheese. I use an apple peeler and shave off little bits. Half make it into whatever application I am using them for and the other half take a detour into my mouth.


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## legend_018 (Sep 9, 2010)

You guys gave me some great!! ideas.


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## Lesley31 (Sep 10, 2010)

I love this cheese but an Italian chef told me to grate it and store in the freezer it is like having fresh every time you use some and of course you use just what you need.  It does work as I have been doing this for quite a few years.

Regards

Lesley31


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## mkaylady (Nov 14, 2010)

Lesley31 said:


> I love this cheese but an Italian chef told me to grate it and store in the freezer it is like having fresh every time you use some and of course you use just what you need.  It does work as I have been doing this for quite a few years.
> 
> Regards
> 
> Lesley31



I am so glad you posted this as I was just about to post asking can you freeze it. I always buy a wedge and I don't use it up soon enough and it turns too hard to grate. My mother used to pick out the wedge she wanted and have the deli counter grate it for her but it got used up fast in her house. I will definitely try this because I am planning to buy a wedge to use in pesto soon. 

Can it be frozen before grating in small chunks and then grate them as you use them?


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## bakechef (Nov 14, 2010)

I grate (really grind) the whole wedge at once.  I use my food processor with the chopping blade.  I saw the Barefoot Contessa do this.  

If you have a really good food processor just cut the cheese into cubes and let 'er rip, if you have a less powerful one, drop them one by one down the chute while the blade is spinning.  

This makes quick work of grating cheese.


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## taxlady (Nov 14, 2010)

If you look, you can probably find good quality grated parmesan for cheaper than the wedge. I was a "grate it immediately before use" purist until I moved to an area where my regular grocery store was a mom and pop Italian supermarket. I tried some of the various plastic boxes of grated parmesan, romano, and mixed (cheese ends from their deli section) cheese. I figured if Italians were willing to buy it grated, I should give it a try at half the price. It was perfectly nice.


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## Lesley31 (Nov 15, 2010)

mkaylady said:


> I am so glad you posted this as I was just about to post asking can you freeze it. I always buy a wedge and I don't use it up soon enough and it turns too hard to grate. My mother used to pick out the wedge she wanted and have the deli counter grate it for her but it got used up fast in her house. I will definitely try this because I am planning to buy a wedge to use in pesto soon.
> 
> Can it be frozen before grating in small chunks and then grate them as you use them?



I have never tried to freeze in chunks, could be bulky in freezer.  I grate all that I buy and store in a good freezer bag it can be stored as flat then as you want it.  I have a Magimix food processor with a hard cheese grater attachment, works a treat.

Lesley


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## Bolas De Fraile (Nov 15, 2010)

Costco UK sell Kirkland signature Parm/Reg at £14 a kilo 2.2 lbs =$23, its is very very good.


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## mkaylady (Nov 15, 2010)

Bolas De Fraile said:


> Costco UK sell Kirkland signature Parm/Reg at £14 a kilo 2.2 lbs =$23, its is very very good.



I believe I paid less than that when I bought it last at Costco, maybe it was less than two lbs. They have great prices.


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## buckytom (Nov 15, 2010)

i do all three methods, depending on what's needed with both parma regg, locatelli, or grana padano.

i grind in a food processor when i need a lot of volume, like when making meatballs. 

i grate by hand over things like pasta dishes dressed with sugo or a ragu. i like to watch the little curls drop onto the hot pasta and curl a bit more from the heat. 

finally, i shave it onto soups like escarole and white bean, or on salads. as gb mentioned, there's just a bit more texture and it hits your palate just a little differently that you don't get from grating/grinding.


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## justplainbill (Nov 15, 2010)

Bolas De Fraile said:


> Costco UK sell Kirkland signature Parm/Reg at £14 a kilo 2.2 lbs =$23, its is very very good.


$10.50 per pound is a good price.  Wish we could get it locally for that price.  At $2.00 per etto, it's a tasty way to add a little protein to a vegetable or macaroni dish.


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## mkaylady (Nov 15, 2010)

justplainbill said:


> $10.50 per pound is a good price.  Wish we could get it locally for that price.  At $2.00 per etto, it's a tasty way to add a little protein to a vegetable or macaroni dish.



You can get it at the Costco in Long Island.


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## sparrowgrass (Nov 15, 2010)

If your parmesan has rinds that are too hard to grate, you need to get a Microplane.  I can use rinds and all.

I have heard that some folks use rinds as part of soup stock.  Never tried it.  Sounds like it could be sticky and hard to clean up after.

I never thought about freezing the block--I find that mine gets moldy sometimes, but freezing would take care of that.


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## Andy M. (Nov 15, 2010)

mkaylady said:


> You can get it at the Costco in Long Island.



I bought my current wedge of PR at Costco but for a lot more than $10 a pound.  I think it was closer to $18 a pound.  I assume some of the difference has to do with different tariffs in EEC countries vs. the USA.


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## Andy M. (Nov 15, 2010)

sparrowgrass said:


> ...I find that mine gets moldy sometimes...



That can happen but, as with all hard cheeses, you can scrape off surface mold and safely use the cheese...

...if you can get past the idea of eating food that had mold on it.


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## kadesma (Nov 15, 2010)

sparrowgrass said:


> If your parmesan has rinds that are too hard to grate, you need to get a Microplane.  I can use rinds and all.
> 
> I have heard that some folks use rinds as part of soup stock.  Never tried it.  Sounds like it could be sticky and hard to clean up after.
> 
> I never thought about freezing the block--I find that mine gets moldy sometimes, but freezing would take care of that.


aaaaaaaai save the rinds and put them into ministrone or veggie soups. They soften but stay together you will be suprised at the taste and floavor they give. Try it just once bet you will change your mind
kadesma


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## tmh425 (Nov 15, 2010)

Yes... save those rinds. They are amazing in minestrone! Sometimes I chop them into little bits & everyone that gets a bit loves them. I grate mine via food processor when I'm making piles of pesto. And oh, my.. the pesto on portabellas sounds amazing! Parm-Reg goes to fast at my house to make it to the freezer, but good to know it can!


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## mkaylady (Nov 16, 2010)

Andy M. said:


> I bought my current wedge of PR at Costco but for a lot more than $10 a pound.  I think it was closer to $18 a pound.  I assume some of the difference has to do with different tariffs in EEC countries vs. the USA.



I got it for the lower price at Costco but they were having a "cheese demonstration day" or something where the company was there promoting that cheese which could be why.


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## sparrowgrass (Nov 17, 2010)

I do scrape the mold off--not a bit worried about whitish mold on such a hard cheese. But I would just as soon not have to do that, so the next wedge goes in the freezer.

The dogs love the moldy cheese, so it does not go to waste.  It is a little expensive for dog treats, however.


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