[1] How can you resist this fall-flavor pizza: butternut squash, pancetta and crispy sage atop provolone and mascarpone cheeses (photo #1, #2 and #3 © DeLallo)?

[2] Pancetta, a form of unsmoked, spiced bacon.

[3] The whole pie: yes, please!

[4] Provolone cheese flavors vary by age. Provolone piccante (sharp, piquant) is, aged for a minimum of four months. Provolone dolce has a very mild taste. (photo © DiBruno Bros).

[5] Mascarpone cheese: rich and creamy (photo © The Nibble).

[6] Fresh sage: so fragrant, so tasty (photo © Good Eggs).

If you’ll be spending a quiet Halloween at home this year, here’s a seasonal pizza recipe from DeLallo to add some festivity to the evening (photos #1 and #3).

Popular ingredients—butternut squash, pancetta and two Italian cheeses—top a pizza that’s garnished with crispy fried sage leaves.

If you’ve never had them, you’ll be wanting fried sage leaves as a garnish on everything. And the good news is they complement just about everything!

The recipe is below.

If you can’t find pancetta, substitute bacon, Canadian bacon, prosciutto, smoked ham or smoked sausage.
 
 
WHAT IS PANCETTA?

If you don’t know pancetta (photo #2), it’s a good time to try it.

Pancetta is unsmoked bacon: pork belly that has been salt cured, spiced and air-dried for three months or longer.

Pancetta:

 
Pancetta is used in many classic Italian dishes, including as Pasta alla Carbonara, where it is used to flavor the sauce.

Each region of Italy has its own pancetta recipe, using their preferred spices.

While there appears to be no recorded history of the origins of pancetta, there are shipping records from as early as the 15th century.

The reference is to the purchase of cured meats for long voyages—and it is likely that cured meats were developed for just such a purpose [source].

Two well known types of pancetta are:

 
Although very good pancetta is made in other regions of Italy, only the Calabria and Piacentina varieties have been bestowed with D.O.P. status: Denominazione di Origine Protetta, translated to Protected Designation of Origin Status.

This label, observed by the European Union, guarantees that the food or agricultural item, is produced in a specific geographical zone, according to traditional production techniques.

Each step, from growing to packaging, is regulated.

The regulations made to protect local products from competition from unauthentic products made by non-authorized producers.
 
 
RECIPE #1: BUTTERNUT SQUASH PIZZA WITH PANCETTA & SAGE

If you’re making the dough from scratch, you can do it up to three days in advance.

For a milder flavor, buy provolone dolce (DOLE-chay) instead of the sharper provolone piccante (pee-CON-tay).

Ingredients For 2 Small Pies

 
Preparation

1. IF MAKING PIZZA DOUGH FROM SCRATCH, combine the flour mix and yeast packet in a large mixing bowl with 1-1/4 cups lukewarm water. Stir with a fork until the dough begins to form.

Knead by hand for 3 minutes, or until the dough is soft and smooth. Transfer to a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.

After this step, you can refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days.

2. PREHEAT the oven to 450°F. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Form the pizzas by hand on a lightly oiled baking pan or pizza stone.

3. DIVIDE the olive oil and toppings for each crust. First, brush the pizzas with olive oil. Next, top them with provolone cheese and small dollops of mascarpone. Sprinkle with the butternut squash and browned pancetta.

4. BAKE for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the toppings are browned. While the pizza cooks…

5. FRY the sage leaves (instructions below).

6. TOP the pizzas with fried sage and serve.
 

RECIPE #2: FRIED SAGE LEAVES

Ingredients

 
Preparation

For the pizza, select the smaller leaves from the bunch.

1. WASH and dry the sage leaves and remove stems. Be sure that the leaves are thoroughly dry before frying (when we don’t have time to air dry, we use a hair dryer!).

2. HEAT the oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Fry the sage leaves until crisp, 2–3 seconds. Do not crowd them in the pan; fry in batches if necessary.

3. TRANSFER to paper towels to drain and sprinkle with salt. Reserve until ready to serve.

October is National Cheese Month, National Potato Month and National Sausage Month.

So thanks to the folks at the Idaho Potato Commission for sending us a recipe that combines all three ingredients: a triple-holiday treat.

Some people like their baked potato skins harder; others like them softer. Just rub the potato skins with olive oil if you prefer a softer potato skin.

Most people might use a package of shredded cheddar for this recipe. But for extra flavor, we used Cabot’s horseradish cheddar.

You can use garlic, habanero, or any other flavor of cheddar you desire.
 
 
RECIPE: TWICE BAKED POTATOES WITH SAUSAGE & CHEESE Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 425°F. Pierce the potatoes with a fork several times. Rub the potato skins with olive oil if a softer potato skin is desired. Bake the potatoes directly on the middle oven rack for 50-60 minutes or until they yield to gentle pressure. While the potatoes are baking…

2. COOK the turkey sausage. Drain the sausage, crumble it and set it aside.

3. REMOVE the potatoes from the oven with an oven mitt, turning down the oven to 400°F. While the potatoes are still hot, cut them in half lengthwise. Leaving a shell about 1/4-inch thick all around, scoop out the interior flesh into a medium-sized bowl. Mash, using a potato masher.

4. HEAT the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat, until hot but not boiling. Add the milk to the mashed potatoes a little at a time, mashing again after each addition.

Mix in the butter and mash all until smooth. Add the salt, white pepper and chives, and mix together thoroughly. Stir in the shredded cheese and sausage.

5. USING a spoon, gently fill the potato shells with the potato mixture, mounding it up high. Place the filled potatoes onto a baking sheet, sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and top with the optional sliced sausage links (see photo). Bake for 18-20 minutes or until hot. Serve.

[1] Twice-baked potato stuffed with cheese and sausage (photo and recipe © Idaho Potato Commission).

[2] Grated cheddar (photo © Darryl Brooks | Dreamstime).

[3] Chives have the mildest flavor in the onion group. If you don’t have them, substitute scallions (photo © Good Eggs).

[1] An aged wedge of authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese: boldly flavored and aromatic (photo © Murray’s Cheese).

[2] Wedges, curls and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (photo © Parmigiano-Reggiano Consorzio).

[3] If you want grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, buy a wedge and grate it yourself. You can see the crunchy white tyrosines in the paste (body) of the cheese (photo © iStock Photo).

[4] Branding wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano with the seal of the Consorzio (photo © Parmigiano-Reggiano Consorzio).

[5] A close-up look at the brand. It takes 550 liters of milk (145 gallons) to make a wheel of Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese (photo © Parmigiano-Reggiano Consorzio).

[6] In addition to grating, shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano is a delicious garnish on any savory food—and on fruit pies, too (photo © Consortium Parmigiano-Reggiano).

October 27th is National Parmigiano-Reggiano Day, celebrating one of the world’s great cheeses—often referred to as the “King Of Cheeses.”

The point we’d like to make today is that “parmesan cheese” is not Parmigiano-Reggiano: a cheese whose reputation is known worldwide, and whose quality is guaranteed with seels of authenticity.

Anyone can make a cheese called “Parmesan,” which is why large-scale food companies do.

True Parmigiano-Reggiano is a D.O.P. cheese are restricted by a governing body to production in specific locales, with traditional ingredients and techniques.

D.O.P., Denominazione d’Origine Protetta, is the European certification of authenticity of origin.

An Italian D.O.P. cheese must be produced in its historic region of Italy, using the same centuries-old artisan techniques as its predecessors.

It guarantees that the milk of the cheese and its production methods take place in prescribed regions, with specified techniques. It guarantees the consumer that a cheese labeled Parmigiano-Reggiano will deliver the expected gustatory experience.

We continue in a moment, but first, for your perusal.

> The different Italian grating cheeses.

> The history of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is below.

> The history of cheese.

> The different types of cheese: a photo glossary.

> The year’s 30 cheese holidays.

> The year’s 40+ Parm-related holidays are below.
 
 
STRICT OVERSIGHT IN PRODUCTION

Production of Parmigiano-Reggiano can only be carried out in five select provinces: Bologna, Mantova, Modena, Parma and Reggio-Emilia. Some 350 small dairy farms produce more than 3.6 million wheels per year.

Only Parmigiano-Reggiano PDO cheese can be sold under the “Parmesan” denomination in Europe. Unfortunately, the laws that classify and protect Parmigiano-Reggiano within the European Union are not globally observed, as both Parmigiano-Reggiano and “parmesan” can coexist on the same shelf in some countries outside the EU. These products are often mistaken for authentic PDO products by consumers.

A cheese labeled as parmesan in the U.S. can still can be a tasty cheese—especially those made by artisanal cheese makers. Factory cheeses (made in bulk), however, have far less complexity and aroma. Just taste them side-by-side to see for yourself.

In the case of Parmigiano-Reggiano, the cheese must be made by a cheesemaker who is a member of the Consorzio Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano, a self-governing body of dairies.

The cheese is produced in accordance with strict regulations, and a fine-quality Parmigiano-Reggiano is one of the glories of the cheese world.

 
The result of all this attention and care is that Parmigiano-Reggiano delivers a well-known sharp and complex flavor, balanced by fruity and nutty notes, and a signature aroma that provides a whiff of joy.

Here’s more about the production process of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
 
What Are The Crunchy Bits?

If you’ve eaten (or just seen) aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, you know that its texture is slightly gritty. This is due to to the tyrosines, amino acid clusters that form with age (photo #3).

Tyrosine clusters are signs of a well-aged cheese, and are also found in aged Goudas (among other cheeses). The longer the aging, the more pronounced the tyrosines.

They are crunchy, tasty and (if we may say so) fun!
 
 
THE HISTORY OF PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO

In the 13th century, in the northern Italy provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and Bologna, a long-aged cheese began to be produced in some of the bigger Benedictine monasteries.

The story is that Parmigiano-Reggiano was first created im the 13th century in Bibbiano, a small town located in the central province of Reggio-Emilia.

Local Benedictine monks who managed dairies had been searching for a long-aging cheese for their milk.

They developed a recipe for what we now know as Parmigiano-Reggiano. The hard, granular, flavorful and aromatic cheese quickly became popular, and production expanded into the nearby Parma and Modena provinces. The name of the cheese became a combination of the names of two of the producing provinces, Parma and Reggio-Emilia.

The first-known recorded mention of Parmigiano-Reggiano was in 1254 C.E., when a noblewoman from Genova actually traded her house in order to have a yearly supply of 53 pounds of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (we’re assuming she had a second house to live in) [source].

The popularity of the cheese spread throughout Italy, and soon, the rest of Europe.

During the 14th century, history has given us another mention of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, in The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio.

When describing an imaginary town called Bengodi, he wrote that there was “a mountain of grated Parmigiano cheese” where “dwell folk that do nothing else but make macaroni and ravioli, and boil them in capon’s broth, and then throw them down the mountain.”

Back to the monasteries: They had large tracts of land for dairy cow grazing. Cow’s milk (and sheep, goats, and other grazing milk animals) is heavily influenced by the diet of the animal. The monks planted clover and lucerne (alfalfa) in their meadows, which gave a particular flavor to the milk that came through in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Neither the cheese nor its production methods have changed substantially since the 1200s. The Consorzio Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano sees to that.

And we are grateful for their efforts!

It still begins with the cows’ feed, by the way (article continues below photo).

According to the Consorzio’s regulations, cows producing milk destined to become Parmigiano-Reggiano can be fed mainly (70%) grasses and hay, with the grasses and hay produced in the Parmigiano-Reggiano area of origin.

Any fermented fodder, or silage, such as is commonly fed to dairy cows in the U.S., is forbidden.

The cows also cannot be fed any food of animal origin or any food by-product (another practice in the U.S.).
 
 
THE YEAR’S 40+ PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO-RELATED HOLIDAYS

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

When there’s a chill in the air, it’s time to make fondue or raclette.

Most Americans are familiar with fondue; less so with raclette (rah-CLET—photo #1).

Raclette is a melted cheese dish that’s easier to eat than fondue: no bread or veggies to get dropped and lost in the pot.

Raclette is a specific type of mountain cheese from the western Alps, where the mountains are the border between Switzerland and France.

In the taxonomy of cheese (categorization), it is technically a Swiss cheese.

But it is named after the French word racler, which means “to scrape.”

Raclette is warmed to melt it. In a restaurant, it is melted with a special heat lamp that holds a portion of the wheel and melts the top.

The melted cheese is then scraped onto a plate of boiled or roasted potatoes, cornichons and more (see recipe below). root vegetables, and meats.

You may not be having a festive Halloween this year, but you can make an at-home halloween more festive with a raclette dinner.

The recipe is below.

Raclette is also a great dinner party or buffet idea for when parties resume.
 

THE HISTORY OF RACLETTE

Traditionally, Alpine cowherds up in the high mountain pastures with their flocks would lunch upon boiled potatoes and cornichons, covered with melted cheese

At that time, this local cheese was unnamed: the generic “cheese” was self-explanatory.

When they’d get ready to camp for the night, the herders would place the cheese next to the fire, letting the exposed paste* (the top surface with the rind removed) melt into bubbly gooiness.

They’d scrape the layer of bubbling cheese over some rustic bread, eat and repeat the process.

Along with the bread, they might have brought boiled potatoes and cornichons.

The cheese subsequently was named raclette, for the way it was served.

When the melted-and-scraped cheese idea moved down the mountains into mainstream eating, additional foods appeared on the plate—all delicious when covered with melted cheese.

But then, what savory food is not delicious covered with melted cheese?
 
 
RECIPE: SWISS RACLETTE

Making raclette is as easy as melting the cheese.

While raclette-specific implements exist, you can melt it in a fondue pot or saucepan. The difference is that you’d pour the melted cheese onto the plate, instead of scraping it from the wheel.

Pour or scrape, it tastes the same: delicious.

Serve it with white wine. We nominate Gewürtztraminer, Gruner Veltliner or Riesling, although your favorite white wine is fine.
 
Classic Ingredients

 
Optional

 
 
RACLETTE EQUIPMENT

You don’t need to fasten a wheel of raclette into an industrial raclette machine, just to serve this charming melted cheese dish.

The mini raclette machine in photo #3 will do. But at $320, it may be a bit steep (not to mention overkill) for most of us.

For a budget solution, a $30 Partyclette works (photo #5).

Both are completely portable and very easy to use.

But remember, your fondue pot or a saucepan work just fine.

Happy melting!
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF RACLETTE
 
 
> CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHEESES IN OUR CHEESE GLOSSARY

[1] Melted raclette cheese is scraped atop meats, pickles and vegetables (all photos © Murray’s Cheese).

[2] Raclette is a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese that is washed with brine. The washed rind gives the cheese a bit of a “stinky” aroma, but the cheese is creamy and nutty, somewhat like Gruyère.

[3] Restaurants and home raclette lovers with a few hundred dollars can buy this special machine that melts the top of the wedge of raclette, that is then scraped onto the plate of food.

[4] Scraping the wheel.

[5] An inexpensive solution: the Boska Partyclette.

[6] You can buy slices of raclette for a sandwich, just as with other semisoft cheeses.

[1] Spicy beef dumplings with ginger scallion sauce (photos © City Dumpling).

[2] Vegetable dumplings, resplendent in their bright green wrappers.

[3] If you have extra fresh ginger, pop it into a glass of club soda (photo © Jan Schone | Stock Exchange).

Last night we ordered a dumpling sampler—30 Chinese dumplings!—from a new dumpling specialty take-out in town.

We had:

 
The dumplings were deliciously superior to typical Chinese restaurant dumplings.

But we were disappointed that the condiment sent with them was plastic packets of standard-issue soy sauce (and not even low sodium soy sauce).

This would not do, so we whipped up a ginger scallion sauce, using a recipe from Momofuku restaurant in New York City that we’d been meaning to try for a long time.

You can use it on anything, from Chinese and Japanese foods to:

 
Dip fries in it, for some variety.
 
 
INGREDIENTS: MOMOFUKU GINGER SCALLION SAUCE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adding more if desired.

2. SERVE, although ideally let the flavors meld for 15 or 20 minutes enhances the flavor. Store in a tightly-closed jar for up to a week in the fridge.