is it possible to have a "slice" of parmesan cheese?

December 3rd, 2009 | by admin |

so my family got into this debate over whether parmesan cheese can be sliced or not. Personally, i think it cant becasue its way to dense, i guess, and if you tried to slice it it would crumble. plus, it would be available as a slice at subway! what do you think???

I deal with the stuff everyday.
REAL Parmigiano Reggiano is cut with a special knife( called an almond knife).
It’s a cheese that breaks apart naturally. It cannot be sliced( it would just crumble).The middle knife is all you need to cut a wheel( 85lbs). The 1st knife( rind scorer is nice to have but not necessary( they don’t show the dagger and the end knife is also not necessary)

http://www.deandeluca.com/appetizers-hors-d-oeuvres/appetizer-serveware/parmigiano-knives.aspx?iorb=4764&ref_code=YSSP

You can use a cheese plane and get some broken up thin slice ( we do that)
for salads and just in a dish with a very aged Balsamic vinegar drizzled on it.
But a clean slice? It won’t happen. 2 to 3 year old Parm is not Swiss cheese. It’s very hard and brittle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheese_plane

Curls and shreds are easy if you keep the cheese at room temp.
I think he/she means slices like Swiss or Provolone that is sliced on a slicing machine. With aged Parm it won’t work.

  1. 7 Responses to “is it possible to have a "slice" of parmesan cheese?”

  2. By SarahCasey on Dec 4, 2009 | Reply

    i dont see why not…i guess. i mean, you can get it in like chunks, so if you carefully sliced it maybe?
    References :

  3. By Toffy on Dec 4, 2009 | Reply

    I think if a chunk of Parmesan is left at room temp it can be sliced but just a bit thicker then a normal slice of cheese. Too thin and I think it would crumble.
    References :

  4. By Noah on Dec 4, 2009 | Reply

    Yes – Parmesan is served ’shaved’ very thin into curls. Most often I see it on top of a salad. Just about any cheese plane or vegetable peeler will work for shaving or slicing – but a wire slicer probably would not work.

    I found some pictures of Parmesan cheese curls on top of salads, etc.

    http://www.cookingclub.com/uploadedImages/Recipes/Salads_and_Salad_Dressing/Zucchini_Ribbon_Pasta_Salad_with_Parmesan_Curls/Zucchini%20Ribbon%20Pasta%20Salad%20with%20Parmesan%20Curls%20232.jpg

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yoM80tpGtKs/SmbB_-KCC5I/AAAAAAAAAw8/53wz_VPJ8xo/s400/DSC01050.JPG

    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fJ1anBB7Y24/SmPAnkw5aBI/AAAAAAAAAac/801__NheP2A/s400/philly+044.JPG

    http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/kitchen/2008_04_28-Salad-Cheese.jpg
    References :

  5. By jc on Dec 4, 2009 | Reply

    I deal with the stuff everyday.
    REAL Parmigiano Reggiano is cut with a special knife( called an almond knife).
    It’s a cheese that breaks apart naturally. It cannot be sliced( it would just crumble).The middle knife is all you need to cut a wheel( 85lbs). The 1st knife( rind scorer is nice to have but not necessary( they don’t show the dagger and the end knife is also not necessary)

    http://www.deandeluca.com/appetizers-hors-d-oeuvres/appetizer-serveware/parmigiano-knives.aspx?iorb=4764&ref_code=YSSP

    You can use a cheese plane and get some broken up thin slice ( we do that)
    for salads and just in a dish with a very aged Balsamic vinegar drizzled on it.
    But a clean slice? It won’t happen. 2 to 3 year old Parm is not Swiss cheese. It’s very hard and brittle

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheese_plane

    Curls and shreds are easy if you keep the cheese at room temp.
    I think he/she means slices like Swiss or Provolone that is sliced on a slicing machine. With aged Parm it won’t work.
    References :
    Cheese/Olive oil importer/gourmet market manager/ owner 40 years.

  6. By AmyBeth on Dec 4, 2009 | Reply

    Actually if you get a salad some times there is shaved parmesan on it, you can slice it but it does crumble.
    References :

  7. By Jennifer on Dec 4, 2009 | Reply

    Most people do not buy the blocks of parmesan cheese because it doesn’t have the same characteristics as regular cheeses. EG it doesn’t melt like regular cheese, it doesn’t cut as well, etc.

    You can buy a block of parmesan the same as you can any other cheese, and you can slice it like other cheese, but the cut will not be precise because the cheese will crumble off a bit.
    References :

  8. By றaறour ø♥ø on Dec 4, 2009 | Reply

    Parmesan cheese is a very dense cheese therefore it does not slice easily but rather chunks of cheese. You could get shaving which would not be whole slice but thin shavings. Not sure subway would carry it ? I do not eat at subway.
    All my life living in France I have never seen a slice of Parmesan nor in Italy.
    References :

Post a Comment