Sponsored: the cheesiest reasons you need Grana Padano in your fridge

A bowl of olive oil and garlic pasta, margherita pizza, even some crisp baby marrow fries, all become infinitely more delicious thanks to the Italian cheese’s mild, nutty, umami flavours.

Up your braai game

The perfect finishing touch for deliciously smoky, tender, flame-grilled veggies? We have two words: Grana Padano. Transform your braai fare into a gourmet feast.

To make Grana Padana mielies and cauliflower, parcook 2 cobs corn and thickly slice 1 small head cauliflower. Mix chopped coriander and basil with grated Grana Padano and butter. Grill the corn and cauli ower over medium coals, basting with the butter until cooked to your liking. Serve sprinkled with extra Grana Padano

Take cheese toasties to a whole new level

There's no such thing as too much cheese.

To make a Grana Padano Welsh rarebit, place 2 T butter and 2 T fl our in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook until the butter has melted. Whisk in ½ cup cream until the sauce thickens. Season with 1 t Dijon mustard and 1 t Worcester sauce and add a generous handful of grated Grana Padano. Toast slices of bread on both sides, top with the sauce, slices of Grana Padano and thyme and grill until bubbling.

Browse more Grana Padano recipes here.

Why Grana Padano?

Handcrafted in Italy for more than 1 000 years according to the same recipe, it’s the world’s most widely consumed Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese. With good reason!

Grana Padano uses high-quality raw cow's milk cooked in copper cauldrons and aged for 15 months. The result is a cheese with a delicate, crumbly texture and mild, nutty flavour. Look out for the lozenge design or round red logo to be sure you're buying the real deal.

Discover more at www.rialtofoods.co.za.