Parmigiano cookies.
A recipe that has been part of my repertoire for many years.
Ever since I moved to Bologna two decades and a handful of years ago and, as a Bolognese-Romagnola raised on piadina (a typical flatbread of Romagna) and tortellini (as I was born in Imola, where Emilia ends and Romagna begins and vice versa), I finally discovered the true meaning of the appellation “Bologna la Grassa” (Bologna The Fat).
Emilian flavors and new recipes
In my childhood home I grew up knowing and appreciating the flavors of both Romagna and Emilia.
But it was only as I grew up that I discovered the complexity of both cuisines, and it is this richness the reason if I continue to study and discover the gastronomic traditions of the Via Emilia, the Romanic road that runs through my beautiful region, Emilia-Romagna.
If I had to choose one among my favorite flavors to describe my region, where Ferrari and Parmigiano Reggiano are born, I think Parmigiano deserves a place of honor.
Although I could choose among numerous and characteristic tastes and smells, intense, sometimes consuming, like the must in the barrels, and even nauseating like the scent of freshly caught fish.
If I choose parmigiano, it’s for its intense, enveloping aroma.
Grated fresh over a simple pasta in-bianco, it is comforting and satisfying; cut into pieces on the chopping board, it’s a perfect companion for cold meats and piadina; it is often the unseen ingredient that changes the taste of any dish.
Parmigiano Reggiano Cookies
After learning about the existence of these savory shortbread biscuits over the years, I have made several experiments and tried other people’s recipes. I have added and removed ingredients and tastes, changed flours.
And after many attempts, the version I prefer is basic: parmigiano and nutmeg.
Very Emilian, very Bolognese. And on the other hand, I don’t know what you think, but I believe our tastes are like an identity card and, over time, show the map of our life path through favorite ingredients and recipes.
But back to the savory cookies, I can say that they make special merende, bread baskets and Italian-style aperitifs.
The process is simple, but follow the advice to put them in the freezer before baking the biscuits, it’s essential to turn them into a cloud during the cooking.
Often I store the dough into the freezer, ready to be cooked and eaten (you can cut them quite easily even if just taken them out of the freezer).
Just one last thing before the recipe. Real Parmigiano Reggiano is called Parmigiano even abroad. If you buy Parmesan it will hardly be a real Italian product certified by the Parmigiano consortium.
Buona cucina, Monica
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Food Tips
- If you prefer, you can add a different touch than nutmeg using paprika or finely chopped almonds and herbs such as thyme or sage or rosemary. Or, finally, a mix of aromatic herbs.
- A sprinkle of lemon zest in the dough adds a special Italian accent.
- Parmesan is savory, not salty. And if you don’t add salt, you’ll get a tasteless biscuit.
- Parmigiano cookies and mortadella Bologna mousse, a combination to try: look the recipe below.
Savory Parmigiano Reggiano Cookies Recipe
for about 50 cookies
Ingredients
fine-grain maize flour, 80g
white spelt flour or 00 flour, 200g
cold butter, 150g
grated Parmesan cheese, 100g
eggs, 2
fine salt, 3g
nutmeg powder, to taste
Directions
In a large bowl mix parmigiano, flour, salt and grated nutmeg to taste (if you decide to use a different aroma, add now what you like).
Add the butter cut into small pieces and the eggs and knead using your fingertips to obtain a soft but compact dough.
Divide the dough into two or three pieces and roll each one into a log of your desired thickness, and wrap with plastic film. Refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.
Pay attention because this is the most important step: after resting in the refrigerator and before baking, put the rolls in the freezer for 30 minutes. In this way the cookies remains more compact during the baking and they will look like a cloud that melts in your mouth.
Once the dough has been removed from the freezer you will not have any problems cutting the biscuits but if you prefer, cut the cookies before to place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Before or after placing in the freezer, cut biscuits almost 1 cm thick, place on a baking tray leaving space among them as they tend to expand a little and bake in a preheated oven at 180C degrees (static oven) for about 12-14 minutes or until the edges turn color.
Halfway through baking, turn the biscuits using a spatula because they will still be soft.
During the baking you’ll see forming bubbles all over the surface of the cookies (see picture below), this is normal, it’s all ok.
Once cooked, take out from the oven and leave to cool on a cake rack.
This will give them time to become crispy.
