5 Savoury Dishes With Italian Cheeses

Warm up on these chilly Egyptian winter nights with these rich and savory dishes (courtesy of Agriform,) all using top-quality Italian cheeses now available in select supermarkets.

Grana Padano Crusted Griddled Pepperoni and Asiago Fresca Sandwich

Ingredients: 8 slices white toast 60 g finely grated Grana Padano 100 g pepperoni, finely sliced 160 g Asiago Pressato, sliced 50 g butter 25 g sunflower oil smoked sea salt, as needed 2 g dried thyme

Method: Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the oil and butter. When the butter begins to foam, place 4 bread slices and top each slice with the pepperoni, Asiago Pressato cheese and a little salt and dried thyme. Add the top slices and flip. Sprinkle grated Grana Padano on toasted side, and flip after 45 seconds. Sprinkle remaining grated cheese on newly toasted side and flip once more for 15 seconds. Cut into quarters and serve hot.

Asiago Stagionato Stuffed Tomatoes

[caption id="attachment_434878" align="alignnone" width="600"] Asiago Stagionato Stuffed Tomatoes[/caption]

Ingredients: 4 large round tomatoes 200g Asiago stagionato PDO Oil, salt, pepper to taste A few basil leaves Oregano 100 g chickpeas (optional)

Method: Wash the tomatoes, removing stems and hollow them out, setting the pulp aside. Season the tomato halves with salt and pour a drizzle of oil into each. Strain the pulp, then add the diced Asiago Fresco PDO cheese, oregano, salt and pepper and, if you like, the chickpeas. Fill each tomato with the mixture and serve cold.

Gnocchi Stuffed with Asiago Fondue

[caption id="attachment_434879" align="alignnone" width="620"] Gnocchi Stuffed with Asiago Fondue[/caption]

Ingredients: 100g Asiago stagionato PDO 200g potatoes Broccoli 20 g eggs Handful of flour Fresh milk Asiago Stagionato PDO cheese, grated to taste Extra virgin olive oil Salt, to taste

Method: Blanch the broccoli and the peeled potatoes in a pressure cooker. Mash and mix them together with the egg, flour and salt. When it turns into a dough, knead by hand on a surface sprinkled with a handful of flour and make rolls that you will cut into 2 cm pieces. Melt Asiago Fresco PDO with milk and Asiago Stravecchio PDO cheese in a saucepan on a low flame. Throw the gnocchi in abundant water and remove them as soon as they rise to the surface. Serve the Asiago sauce together with the broccoli heated in a water bath and use the same water to cook the gnocchi.

Parmigiano Reggiano and Rosemary Potato Wedges

[caption id="attachment_434880" align="alignnone" width="620"] Parmigiano Reggiano and Rosemary Potato Wedges[/caption]

Ingredients: 3 large potatoes, washed 2 tbsp oil 21/2 tbsp chopped rosemary 70 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano Black pepper

Method: Preheat oven to 200ºC. Slice potatoes into wedges and toss in oil. Mix together rosemary, Parmigiano Reggiano, a good pinch of black pepper and add to the potatoes, mixing to give a good coating. Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown. Serve sprinkled with more Parmigiano Reggiano and rosemary. Parmigiano Reggiano and Rosemary Shortbread

Ingredients: 160 g plain flour 90 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano 100 g soft, unsalted butter 2 egg yolks Black pepper 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary 30 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano, to serve

Method: Mix together flour, Parmigiano Reggiano, butter, egg yolks and black pepper to form a dough. Knead gently until smooth. Roll the dough into a cylinder, making sure each end is flat, and wrap in cling film, twisting the ends to form a seal. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180ºC. Remove the dough from the fridge and slice into 0.75cm rounds. Remove the cling film from around the shortbread edges and arrange on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-13 minutes. Remove from the oven when the shortbreads are pale gold at the edges. Immediately sprinkle over grated Parmigiano Reggiano and rosemary. Cool before serving.