Fattorie Cremona

Fattorie Cremona is the brand of a co-operative of dairy farmers in Lombardy, in the Po valley of northern Italy, the heartland of Grana Padano. The cheese carries a Protected Designation of Origin, so it may only be made in that area, from cow's milk to a set traditional method, and every wheel is inspected before it can carry the name.

Our Grana Padano sits in cheese, part of the cheese and butter shelf in our chilled and dairy department. It comes as a vacuum packed wedge, aged over ten months, with the grainy texture and tiny crunchy crystals that give the grana cheeses their name. It is milder and a little sweeter than a long aged Parmigiano, which makes it an easy everyday grating cheese.

Grate it finely over spaghetti, penne in tomato sauce and minestrone, or stir it into a risotto at the end with a knob of butter. Shave it over rocket, pear and walnut salads or a tray of roasted vegetables. It also suits the Indo-Italian dishes many families cook at home, a white sauce pasta, masala macaroni or a chilli cheese toast, where a little goes a long way. Keep the rind: dropped into a soup or a pot of beans, it adds depth as it simmers.

Keep the wedge in the fridge. Once opened, wrap it in baking paper and then loosely in a box so it breathes without drying out, and it will keep well for weeks. For fresh cheese for Indian cooking, see paneer, and for butter to finish a risotto browse butter and spreads.