Last week, Distinctly, Deliciously European brought Grana Padano PDO and Prosciutto di Parma PDO to My Cooking Party in NoMad for an evening of tasting and cooking.
Chef Matheo Piscotta led the hands-on class, followed by a seated dinner featuring dishes guests helped prepare. The evening was part of an EU-funded campaign introducing audiences to the products and their Protected Designation of Origin certification. Representatives explained that the PDO label connects each product to a specific area alongside its production standards. They also shared what to look for at the counter: Grana Padano’s diamond-shaped branding and the Parma Crown on Prosciutto di Parma.
Grana Padano is made from partially skimmed raw cow’s milk in northern Italy and aged for at least nine months. Its delicate flavor becomes more pronounced with age, lending itself to everything from salads to a cheeseboard. The cheese is also naturally lactose-free because of its production and aging process, a welcome detail for anyone limiting lactose.
Francesco Lupo introduced Prosciutto di Parma through its short ingredient list of pork and sea salt. Time and the conditions in its production area do the rest and the ham must cure for at least 14 months.
Photo Courtesy: The Knockturnal
With aprons and gloves on, guests split into groups to prepare dinner. The chefs demonstrated the techniques with tasks ranging from fresh pasta to sauces and garnishes. Drinks continued throughout, keeping the atmosphere relaxed as everyone got to work.
The pasta lesson paid particular attention to the dough process. The group learned by bringing flour and eggs together, checking its consistency and rolling it to the right thickness. A pasta machine produced evenly thin sheets, which was laid over a ravioli mold for filling. For the arancini, chefs demonstrated how to shape cooked rice around a mushroom filling before frying. Smaller jobs offered useful lessons, too, including blanching tomatoes, cutting them into tiny cubes and zesting lemons.
Photo Courtesy: The Knockturnal
The seated dinner opened with crispy mushroom and Grana Padano risotto balls topped with ribbons of Prosciutto di Parma. Ravioli came in two flavors including Grana Padano with spinach and ricotta, and prosciutto with butternut squash. The Grana Padano salad, wine pairings and chocolate cake completed the menu. The cooking party left everyone with a better understanding of what goes into Grana Padano PDO and Prosciutto di Parma and the importance of quality ingredients with practical ways to use them at home.
