Do you like eating hard cheese? Well, who doesn’t? Hard cheese is probably the most popular types of cheese in the world. In every kitchen, it’s almost certain you can find a type of hard cheese stored. There are many different types of hard cheese. In this article, we’ll list down as many types of hard cheese as we can.
What Is Hard Cheese?
Before tackling the different types of hard cheese, here are a few information you’d like to know about this type of cheese. Hard cheese goes through a longer aging process. It has lower moisture than the other types of cheeses, thus, they are often dryer and often crumbly. Many people love eating this type of cheese, however, for most people, they use this type of cheese for pasta, salad, soups and other culinary dishes.
Types of Hard Cheese
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Parmigiano-Reggiano is the first type of hard cheese because it is among the most popular ones. Nevertheless, Parmigiano-Reggiano is often overshadowed by its own copies, like for example the Parmesan cheese. Parmesan is actually the unauthentic version of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. While for most countries, it doesn’t matter much, but in European law, this type of cheese needs to be made in a specific region in Italy. The taste of Parmigiano-Reggiano is also different from an enthusiasts or experts’ point of view. If you want to taste the real one, you have to specifically say Parmigiano-Reggiano – not parmesan.
Asiago D’allevo
Asiago D’allevo is another popular type of cheese. Its popularity is mainly attributed to the fact that its flavour is quite similar to parmesan. Authentic asiago is only made around the Asiago Plateau, in the province of Vicenza, Veneto Italy. The true Asiago D’allevo has a DOP designation after its name. DOP is an abbreviation for “Denominazione di Origine Protetta”. This means that it is from a protected origin. Just like Parmigiano-Reggiano, this type of hard cheese also has a lot of copies and are called ‘asiago’. It’s often used for making salads and pasta. But it can provide an extra boost to your soup if you shave some off it.
Grana Padano
Grana Padano is one of the types of hard cheese that is aged between 9 to 16 months. It’s said to have originated in the Po river Valley in northern Italy. This Italian cheese has similar uses to the previous types of hard cheese. However, it can be used as an appetizer or a light snack. This hard cheese goes great with anything that is sweet. You may also use this for dried fruits.
Pecorino Romano
Pecorino Romano is another recognisable type of hard cheese. Authentic Pecorino is only made in specific regions of Italy, which is why there are designated DOP’s also attached at the end of authentic Pecorino Romano. While there are many copies of this cheese, the taste of the real deal is something that one cannot simply miss.
Gorgonzola
Oftentimes referred to as “Italian blue cheese”, Gorgonzola is firm, crumbly and often has blue veins. This type of cheese offers a buttery, salty flavour and the blue veining provides an additional unique taste. This Italian cheese is made using unskimmed cow’s milk. For centuries, this type of cheese has been produced in Gorgonzola, Milan.
Manchego
Unlike the other types of hard cheese, Manchego did not originate from Italy, but in the La Mancha region of Spain. This type of cheese is made from sheep milk and it is usually aged from 2 months to 2years. Manchego, like other hard cheese, is firm and has a buttery texture. It commonly has small, unevenly distributed air pockets and its colour varies from white to ivory-yellow. It offers a distinct flavour, finely honed, but not too strong. It’s creamy with a slight kick that leaves an aftertaste that is typical of sheep milk.
And that’s it!
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