Raffi Melkonian and Will Baude point out that pecorino romano is a good, cheaper alternative to parmigiano reggiano. I'd go with
ricotta salata, which is usually much cheaper than both, but which makes a much lighter, more summer-appropriate pasta topping.
Glad to see ricotta salata getting some deserved recognition. I grew up eating it and always preferred it to parmesan on pasta. My relatives (all Sicilian) would travel to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx and other "latticini" (some of them paisans)to buy this yummy cheese. -- JM
ReplyDelete"I'd go with ricotta salata , which is usually much cheaper than both"
ReplyDeleteThe ricotta you link to is pricier than most Pecorino I see.
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I'm not a big fan of ricotta on hot pasta, although it's fine on cold pasta salads.
And while I generally prefer Reggiano to Pecorino, on certain dishes I'll go with Pecorino.
But my larger point is that you'll save a quarter a meal by moving from Reggiano to Pecorino. Life is too short.
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And was the objection to me in general? Or is it just that dogs are sacred cows around here?
In general, ricotta salata is much cheaper than the others--the link was just for the picture and the description--never heard of the company whose site that was.
ReplyDeleteWell, if you're cheap like that then you'd live in a housing co-op and buy the 3 lb. hunks of reggiano at costco for like $8 a pound or something and split the cost (which you'd do with all the food anyway). Or you'd buy Grana Padano and save what, $2 a pound?
ReplyDeleteOr you buy the tiny 1-2 oz. pieces for less than $2 at a decent grocery store.
And if you're putting cheese on pasta, that suggests you don't have time to cook something decent and really don't care what your food tastes like anyway.