Historically speaking, there are a bunch of misconceptions about the creation of Parmesan. One thing is for sure is that it comes from the Italian province of Parma.

Monks in the Parma region were the first group to make the distinctive hard cheese during the Middle Ages. By the Renaissance period, people in the nobility were producing this fine cheese as well.

The perfect Parmigiano Reggiano is aged for about 18 to 24 months. Time and cheese go together quite well. Additional aging permits full development of the cheese’s flavor potential.

If you’re looking to spice up this recipe you can add croutons, potatoes, and pasta to this baked cheese recipe. Additional herbs will make this dish sing. Parsley, rosemary, summer savory and oregano would all be great to this cheese recipe. You can just eat this appetizer with just a spoon, some crackers or even sliced green apple.

Cheese and sparkling wines are always the perfect pair.