Cash doesn't grow on trees. Neither does Parmesan.
on massive wheels of the stuff. We’d stack them up and make houses out of them. Replace the tires on our cars with Parmesan wheels and use them as ottomans. And yes, cook with them too. But we can’t. Because the famed Italian cow’s milk cheese that we’ve been in love with since our first bite of. And our Parmesan budget is much smaller than we wish it was. And as a result, sometimes we turn to other cheaper, still totally delicious options to get our fix.
Parmesan is expensive for two reasons: 1. True Parmesan can only be made in a particular region of Italy, and 2. Parmesan is usually aged between 18 and 36 months. This means that there are only a small number of cheese producers making true Parmesan, and that cheese has to sit around for a while before it’s fully matured
. Tasty cheese needs time, and time is money. So when we don't feel like shelling out for the real thing, we turn to cheeses with similar textures and flavor profiles that are a little easier on the checking account. They still deliver that dried, nutty, easily grate-able goodness that we love in Parmesan, but with a few small differences. Here are our three favorite substitutes for Parmesan cheese:Parmesan has a little brother, and his name is Piave.