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    Grana Padano

    5 delicious way to use Grana Padano rind

    Chef Danilo Cortellini

    Gone are the days where you would through away the left-over rind of Grana Padano cheese, I give you my word! There is so much you can do with it that to threw it away would be a senseless shame. From charred grilled bites to simply chucking it into a stock or soup for extra deliciousness, the rind of Grana Padano cheese can definitely work as flavour bomb in your favour.

    Today we explore 5 easy ways to use it, from the most obvious to the most unexpected and all extremely delicious and accessible.
    You won’t believe how easy it is and you’ll regret not knowing these Italian tricks before!

    Ingredients

    • Grana Padano PDO rind

    Preparation

    STEP 1

    With a wet cloth polish the outer part of the cheese rind. You can even use a cheese grated of the back of the a knife to scrape a very thin outer layer of rind. If necessary, rinse the rind with cold water and pat dry.

    STEP 2

    For the tomato sauce.
    Simply place the Grana Padano rind pieces into the sauce at an early stage of the cooking time. Let it simmer gently while the sauce cooks and intensify its flavour. After about 30 minutes, the rind would have softened and could be eaten in chunks, and the tomato sauce would be thicker and rich in cheese flavour.
    Bear in mind, the rind cooked this way it is a little chewy, but nevertheless delicious.
    You can use about 100 gr of rind for 600 gr of tomato sauce.
    This process can be applied to many other pasta sauces, including ragù Bolognese.

    STEP 3

    For the minestrone.
    Simply place the Grana Padano rind pieces into the minestrone at an early stage of the cooking time. Let it simmer gently while the minestrone cooks and vegs soften. After about 30 minutes, the rind would have softened and the minestrone should be cooked and rich in cheese flavour. At this stage, drain the rind, chop it into little pieces/cubes and chuck it back into the minestrone. Add pasta to the minestrone if you please or have it as it is.
    You can use about 100 gr of rind for 600 gr minestrone.
    This process can be applied to many other soups.

    STEP 4

    For the cheese sauce/fondue.
    In this case, as I want the rind to melt, I suggest to soak the rind a day ahead in water and keep it in the fridge. This step will soften the rind and make it easier to melt. Once drained, remove the outer layer with a pairing knife if still very dry and chop it into little pieces.
    Now eat gently the double cream and rich a gentle boil. Add as many pieces of Grana Padano rind as you like (I suggest about 200 gr for 700ml of cream) and let it simmer gently just until you notice that the Grana Padano rind is melting, even if come chunks are still present. Blitz everything with a blender and sieve it if necessary. Season to taste and use as you like.
    This cheese sauce is great to dress pasta or even roast beef and vegetables.

    STEP 5

    For the grilled rind.
    I like to soak the rind overnight for this preparation, as I want them to soften before charring them on a griddle pan (a BBQ works too). Pat dry and place the rind on the pan keeping a constant medium heat. If the rinds stick to the pan don’t panic and start pulling them apart, wait for the right time. When well golden and caramelized, the rinds will release much more easily from the pan as the water on the surface will evaporate and a nice crust formed. Turn them on the other side and repeat the waiting game.
    Serve while hot with a scranch of black pepper and a pinch of sea salt or any spice you like.

    STEP 6

    For the microwaved puffed rind.
    For this the rinds needs to be very well dried. Place the piece of rind onto a microwave safe dish layered with backing parchment and ‘bake’ for 2 minutes at maximum power. The rind should have puffed by now, at least doubled in size, and be nice and golden, if not, continue to cook by steps of 30 seconds until it does. If it browns to much in some areas don’t worry as it can be removed with a paring knife. Let the puffed rind cool on a rack or on a kitchen towel and check the crispiness. If there are chewy areas they can be removed with a paring knife. You can now cut the rind into little crostini as you please.
    Serve as they are or with a dollop of cream cheese, a drizzle of honey and black pepper.
    The puffed rinds keep for more than 2 weeks in a airtight container in a cool and dry place.

    Chef’s tip

    Scrape off the first layer of the rind with a grated or the back of the knife and you can even rinse it. Remember to pat dry it well or even better let it dry in an open container in the fridge overnight.
    If really hard and old, I soak my Grana Padano rind in water for a few hours to soften up before using it.

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