Parmesan Cups with Orzo Risotto
A couple of years ago, on a trip to central Italy—where true Parmigiano-Reggiano is made—I learned yet another use for the world’s most important cheese. A cook in a trattoria was taking handfuls of the grated stuff, sprinkling them in a skillet, and forming melted cheese pancakes. While they were still warm, he draped them over the back of a cup, to form crisp, edible, single-ingredient containers. He filled these with a mixture of zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes and sent them out as a first course. I found the idea intriguing, but not all that easy to duplicate at home, where my skillet seemed always too hot or too cool, the pancakes too thick or too thin. But when I took the task seriously and set about figuring out the most reliable way to produce these Parmigiano-Reggiano cups, it turned out to be fairly straightforward. Thanks to the miracle of the nonstick surface, just put four rounds of grated cheese on a baking sheet and, five minutes later, they’re done.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 or more appetizer servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2
Bring the stock to a boil in a 6- to 8-cup saucepan; stir in the orzo, cover, and turn the heat to medium-low. Set a timer for 15 minutes.
Step 3
Use a 1/4-cup measure to make 4 rounds of Parmigiano-Reggiano on a nonstick baking sheet. Smooth the rounds into thin pancakes, 5 or 6 inches across; the thickness need not be perfectly uniform. Put the baking sheet in the oven.
Step 4
The Parmigiano-Reggiano rounds are done when the centers darken slightly and the edges begin to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let it stand for about a minute, then carefully lift each of the rounds and drape it over the bottom of a narrow cup or glass to form a cup shape. Let dry for about 5 minutes.
Step 5
The orzo is done when it is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. Season it with pepper and very little salt, then stir in the parsley. Spoon a portion of orzo into each of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cups and serve.
Variations
Step 6
Cheese cups can be made with almost any hard cheese or a combination of cheeses. Manchego, pecorino, and other sheep’s milk cheeses are especially good. For fillings, try:
Step 7
Steamed and chopped spinach (other than a grating of pepper, no seasoning is necessary)
Step 8
Beef stew or other stewed meat
Step 9
Ratatouille or other stewed vegetables
A Few Tips for Making Parmesan Cups
Step 10
Be careful not to grate the cheese too finely; you don’t want the same powdery consistency you might prefer on pasta. One of the larger holes of a box grater works well, and so does the steel blade of the food processor, which produces small, even pellets of cheese.
Step 11
Baking the cheese disks doesn’t present much of a problem, and it’s easy enough to tell when they’re done because the edges begin to brown. But removing them from the baking sheet can be tricky: be sure to allow the rounds to cool slightly so that they can firm up a bit—thirty to sixty seconds is right for me, but if your baking sheet retains more heat, it might take a little longer—and then use the thinnest spatula you have to gently lift them off the baking sheet. Drape the soft mass over a narrow glass, and shape gently; the cups will be ready to fill in a few minutes.
Step 12
Though they are best when fresh, the cups will retain both shape and flavor for a couple of hours.
