Grana Padano Cheese

Grana Padano cheese is a hard, pale straw-colored cow's milk cheese formed into large wheels with a natural rind. It has a firm, slightly crumbly texture with crystalline crunch and a savory, nutty flavor; it grates finely and shaves into delicate flakes. Cooks use it to finish pastas and risotti, enrich sauces, and add depth to salads and roasted vegetables; sold as wedges, pre-grated, or shaved. Most versions use animal rennet, so it is not vegetarian.\n\nDeveloped in the Po Valley of northern Italy, it spread across Lombardy, Veneto, and neighboring regions as a staple grana-style cheese aged for months to years. It features in Italian cuisines where long-aged hard cheeses are grated to season dishes and is produced under a protected designation with standardized aging and quality controls.