Parmesan

What it contributes

Parmigiano Reggiano brings deep, nutty, savory, umami-rich flavor and a salty finish. A little grated over a focaccia amplifies everything else. Its close cousin Grana Padano is milder and more affordable and works similarly. These are seasoning cheeses — you use them for impact, not for melt.

Add it late — it burns

Because hard aged cheese is dry and low in moisture, finely grated Parmesan scorches quickly under direct oven heat, turning acrid. Do not blanket a focaccia in it at the start of a full bake. Instead add it in the last couple of minutes, tuck it under other toppings, or — best for flavor — grate it over the focaccia the moment it comes out, where residual heat softens it without burning.

Shaved into thin curls with a peeler, it also makes a beautiful post-bake garnish alongside peppery greens like arugula.

Buying and grating

Buy a wedge and grate it yourself; pre-grated tubs are drier, often contain anti-caking agents, and taste comparatively flat. Look for the "Parmigiano Reggiano" stamp on the rind for the real DOP cheese, or good Grana Padano for a budget option. A fine microplane gives fluffy, quick-melting shreds; a coarser grater gives more texture.

Do not throw away the rind — it keeps and can flavor soups and stocks.

Storage

Wrap a wedge in parchment then loosely in foil (or a cheese wrap) and keep it in the fridge; hard cheese lasts weeks to months this way. If a little surface dries out, trim it. Grate only what you need each time so the rest stays fresh.