Grana Padano is one of Italy’s most loved cheeses. Grana Padano is usually used in salads, with carpaccio and most often with pasta sauces. Grana Padano is also delicious as a snack or antipasto.
This antique cheese began its history in the Middle Ages when monasteries were flowering throughout the Po Valley. It is said to have been created at the Chiaravalle Abbey outside of Milan in 1135. Much of the land there was used as a dairy pasture for cows. The excess milk that these cows produced was used for the production of hard cheese which could age and maintain many of its nutritional characteristics.
Grana Padano’s name refers to the fact that the cheese is quite different than other cheeses in terms of its texture and composition. Grana is “granular” and is not “uniform” like other cheeses. Padano refers to the area where it was first created, the Pianura Padana.
Grana is made from partially skimmed milk. The milk is cooked very slowly. The cheese comes in three versions. The first is aged 9-16 months before being sold, the second ages 16 to 20 months and is called Oltre 16 mesi while the third is Grana Padano Riserva which ages for over 20 months.
Grana is a semi-fat hard cheese with a white or yellow thin rind. Grana has a very delicate taste. It is less salty and nutty than Parimigiano Reggiano in terms of its flavor profile.
Initially, Grana was made in the area between the Po, the Ticino and the Adda rivers. Today the area where Grana can be produced also includes areas in the provinces of Venice, Treviso, Vicenza, Verona Padua and Rovigo.
Grana Padano is a Denominazione d’Origine Protetta (DOP) product or one that has received a special designation because of its particular characteristics.
Grana Padano shouldn’t exceed 40 kilograms and must be around 40 centimeters in circumference. Grana is widely available in the United States. Di Palo’s in New York City is a great location to find this versatile cheese.
