I discovered the regional diversity of Italian cuisine fairly recently. Locally grown produce and regional specialities are the real essence of Italian food. The Alpine meadows in Northern Italy are home to some of the best cattle, resulting in a lot of dairy products. Cheese is the soul of this region.

Cured and soft, intensely fragrant and mild, ideal for shredding or perfect for spreading, made with cow, goat, sheep or buffalo milk. There are countless varieties of cheese. The choices are baffling.
Equally fascinating are the ways in which each variety of local cheese is integrated in cooking. Fontina cheese, with its buttery flavour, is a great favourite and Italians use it in several dishes. A veal chop covered in Fontina, is a traditional delicacy and an absolute delight for the taste buds. Fonduta or fondue too tastes great with an addition of fontina. It simply melts in the mouth.
I once sampled a local stew made with cabbage, potatoes and Bitto. The taste still lingers in my mouth. Made near the Valtena region of northern Lombardy, Bitto is a wonderful cheese made from cow’s milk. Interestingly, it can be enjoyed as a 70-day young cheese or aged.
When it comes to meats, the locals prefer the aged Castelmagno from Piedmont. The salty, crumbly, sticky texture helps to bind meats and enhance the flavours. This cheese pairs exceptionally well with the famous truffles of this region. It is often mixed with leafy vegetables like spinach and used to stuff chicken.
The gorgonzola, a pungent “Italian Blue Cheese”, with its intense flavour and semi-soft consistency lends itself well to salads. It can also be eaten with fruits, or spread on bread. When added to a risotto, its taste is unparalleled.
Risotto alla Milanese, a creamy dish of short braised rice with meat stock, saffron and cheese is legendary in Lombardy. Grana Padano the paler twin of parmigiano or parmesan is mostly used in this dish.
In Northern Italy, the cuisine centers around cheese, not the other way round.

RISOTTO GORGONZOLA, PEAR, DUCK BREAST RAGOUT
70 gms Risotto vialone nano
30 gms gorgonzola
10 gms parmesan
60 gms diced carrots, celery and onion
1 bay leaf
1 litre chicken stock
10 gm butter
30 cl red wine
1 pear slice

Dice the duck breast and sauté in a pan with butter, bay leaf, the vegetables diced. Cook it for few minutes.
Add the risotto, stir for few minutes, de-glaze with red wine.
Add the chicken stock till the surface of the rice is covered, cook for 14-16 minutes, adding stock from time to time.
Remove from the heat; add the parmesan cheese, the gorgonzola and the sliced pear. Stir till creamy consistency. Serve hot with a drop of olive oil.

PACCHERI TALEGGIO WALNUT PESTO
100 gms Paccheri pasta
40 gms walnut
70 ml extra virgin olive oil
20 gms pecorino cheese
30 gms taleggio cheese
2 gms fresh thyme
3 gms fresh rosemary
2 gms basil leaves

Cook pasta in boiling salt water till al dente (meaning firm to bite)

To prepare walnut pesto:
In a kitchen blender put in the walnut without any skin, the pecorino cheese, the olive oil, thyme, rosemary, season with salt and pepper if necessary and grind together.
Finally toss the pasta with taleggio cheese crumble, the walnut pesto and sprinkle with basil leaves, finish with a drop of extra virgin olive oil and serve.