# What is your favorite use of fontina cheese?



## licia (May 27, 2006)

My grocery store doesn't carry fontina so I found it in another one yesterday and would like some ideas on really good uses for it.  Thanks a bunch!


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## BreezyCooking (May 27, 2006)

While I like it just for snacking, as far as cooking, I use it most often in cheese fondues & as a topping for bruschetta & broiled tomato halves.


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## Haggis (May 27, 2006)

With prosciutto on a lightly toasted bread sandwich.

Other than that it's a great melter with great flavour so I use it with a variety of things.


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## ironchef (May 27, 2006)

My top two uses would be to use them to stuff things like pork, chicken, and veal, and to melt them in dishes like risotto, polenta, grits, mashed potato, etc.


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## Piccolina (May 27, 2006)

I would have to say that my favourite way is to use it simply on a pizza, such as the type called quattro formaggi (four cheese).


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## Snoop Puss (Jun 1, 2006)

Absolutely essential in aubergine parmigiana in my view - the scrummiest aubergine dish ever that will win over even those who think that a purple vegetable is weird or who claim they don't like aubergines. I've seen recipes without cheese or with mozzarella, but it's nowhere near as good as with fontina. All hail to Antonio Carluccio for this truly delicious version.

Make a pint or so of tomato sauce (or use a good bottled napoletana sauce to speed things up if you're in a hurry - my disgraceful addition, not Carluccio's!)
1 sizeable aubergine
Salt
1 egg (or perhaps 2 depending on size of the aubergine)
Plain flour (is this called all-purpose flour in the States?)
125 g (5 oz) or so of fontina cut into very thin slices - doesn't matter if they're a bit raggedy, so long as they're thin
25 g (1 oz) or so of freshly-grated parmesan

Slice the aubergine into roundels (about a third of an inch thick). Place a layer in a colander and sprinkle with a small amount of salt. Put another layer of aubergine on top, sprinkle with salt and continue until all the aubergine is used up. Place a bowl on top of the aubergine to press the slices down and leave for half an hour or so. Skip this stage if you don't have time or don't mind the slightly bitter taste of aubergine juice.

When you're ready to cook, put the oven on to preheat to 200ºC (400ºF).
Wipe the slices of aubergine dry with kitchen paper. Heat three tablepoons or so of oil in a large frying pan. Place the egg in a bowl and beat lightly to mix. Place the flour in another bowl.

When the oil is hot, dip the aubergine slices in the flour and then the egg to coat on both sides and fry a few at a time till cooked and nicely browned, again on both sides. Do all the aubergine in this way. You might need to add more oil to the pan or use the second egg.

Take an ovenproof dish - I use a Pyrex dish because the appearance of dish is pretty good - and put a thin layer of sauce on the bottom. Top with a layer of aubergine and then top that with some of the slices of fontina. Cover with a thin layer of sauce and then layer of aubergine and cheese and so on. I usually get three layers out of the ingredients but it will depend on the size of your bowl and the aubergine. You'll have to judge yourself how much sauce and cheese to use in each layer.

You want to end with a layer of sauce, which you then sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or so until nicely browned and bubbling. Remove from the oven and then leave for five minutes or so before serving. This helps to stop the layers from sliding apart when you serve it. No matter how much of a hurry you are in or how irresistible the dish looks - and I promise it will look authentically Italian - it is well worth waiting.

I serve it as main course on its own or with rice if I need to fill a hungry crew, though the rice is not traditional. Otherwise you could use it as a starter for at least four people.

Eat and enjoy...


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## Sandyj (Jun 1, 2006)

Snoop Puss, reading your recipe made me feel hungry. I love Fontina cheese - a couple of slices with some white wine is as far as I've got with it! I have cut and pasted your recipe to try. Thanks.


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## Snoop Puss (Jun 1, 2006)

A new trick for me to try too. Fontina is so deliciously melty when cooked I've never thought of eating it in its raw state, so to speak.
Hope you enjoy the parmigiana.


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## TATTRAT (Jun 1, 2006)

Smoked Chicken and Fontina ravioli.

Pan Seared Rock fish topped with jumbo lump crab, and fontina cream suace.

Straight up, with a nice chard or fume blanc.

Or on ritz crackers,.....mmmmmmmmmm


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## Snoop Puss (Jun 1, 2006)

Any chance of you sharing the Smoked Chicken and Fontina Ravioli recipe with us? Sounds good.


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## TATTRAT (Jun 1, 2006)

Snoop Puss said:
			
		

> Any chance of you sharing the Smoked Chicken and Fontina Ravioli recipe with us? Sounds good.


 
I'ld be happy too, though I don't have any percise measurements, I just eye ball it.

I start with skin on half capons, set up a smoker over two burners and use a mix of cherrywood and hickory chips to do the somking. Oil down the birds and season agressively with s+p. Get the chips ripping, and smoke them birds for about 45min to an hour over med, indirect heat. Pull off the birds, and chill.

Once cooled, pick all the meat and give it a course cut, I suppose you could pulse it in the robo coupe, but I like a bigger, chunkier consistancy. I then sautee a brunoise of red onion, a little red pepper, and a little pablano pepper. The add the mix to the chicken and mix well. Add shredded fontina to help bind. 

Simple pasta sheets rolled out and ready for the ravioli press or you can make them by hand( I do them in triangles), and stuff and seal like any ol ravioli.

The sauce couldn't be any easier...Sautee minced shallot, add the ravioli, add cream, and reduce. Finish with more shredded fontina. I like to garnish with crispy leeks and a little smoked paprika(to accent the pablano).

Hope that is o.k. It could be doctored every/any way you want it. It is a good dish, just the prep can be time consuming.


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## Snoop Puss (Jun 2, 2006)

This is definitely one for me to try. All my favourite kinds of flavours and textures. Thanks.


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