CHEESE

Romano

Ro-mah´-no
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Italians adore their hard and full-bodied cheeses, and romano, born in the countryside outside of Rome, is a very special case in point. It’s a bolder, tangier, saltier, always-gets-its-way relative to parmesan. In Wisconsin, we make ours with cow’s milk, while Italy uses sheep milk. The end result: ours is a bit lighter, milder and less fatty. In other words, guilt be gone when heaping on the romano!

Appearance

Creamy white

Texture

Hard but not brittle

Flavor

Sharp, salty and zesty

25

Cheese Image

Performance Notes

Shred or grate to add to pastas. For best use in recipes, allow cheese to come to room temperature.

Pairing Notes

A crisp pilsner, off-dry hard cider or a big, tannic Italian red like chianti are top choices for pairing with romano. We also like to pour full-bodied chardonnay, sangiovese, barbera d’alba, montepulciano, zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, and grappa with romano.

Serve

Romano can be used in many of the same recipes as parmesan and asiago, especially when you want a bit more punch. Just like with parmesan, we often fill a bowl with freshly-grated romano for the table when we’re enjoying pasta, lasagna, pizza or a hearty soup or stew for dinner. Romano’s bright, salty flavor is really tasty with egg dishes such as quiches, scrambles, omelettes or frittatas. We also like to add it to our breadings for chicken, fish or vegetables before we bake or fry them.