Sformata di Parmigiana at Le Cordon Bleu

Mille Grazie!! to everyone at Le Cordon Bleu in Boston and Chef Enea Barbanera for hosting a wonderful event with the Italian Culinary Foundation  to promote the simplicity and flavors of authentic, original Italian cooking. Many thanks for having me there as a special guest.  The only other place I could have witnessed an event like this would have been in Italy…
I must also give a special thanks to  Mr.  & Mrs. Frankie & Maureen  Imbergamo for being such wonderful hosts for my visit. Frankie is the author of The Good Life cookbook  and  frequent guest of The Emeril Lagasse Show and is famously known around Boston for  award winning meatball recipes. They insisted that we see a little bit of Boston’s North End or Little Italy section before we left and assisted in getting us a quick tour
Yesterday’s cooking demo with Chef Barbanera was the culmination of a week of cooking demos and events with the chef promoting the authentic style of Italian cooking by the Italian Culinary Foundation at Le Cordon Bleu. They were one of the few culinary schools in the US selected for this event.  He also educated everyone with a quick lesson on flavors and how flavors must not overpower but compliment each other in a dish. His cooking stresses fresh, natural ingredients -fresh herbs, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, artisan cheeses like Grana Padano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Asiago and others as well as meats, fresh fruits and vegetables.
Chef Enea Barabanera has graciously shared his recipes with us, here is the first one (this recipe serves 8):
Sformata di Grana Padana con Pomodoretto Fresco
(Grana Padana Pudding with cherry tomatoes)
1 liter cream
14 eggs
10 1/2 ozs grated Grana Padano cheese
1.5 ozs butter
10 1/2 ounces cherry tomatoes
3.5 ozs extra virgin olive oil
1 small sprig rosemary
salt to taste
3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
8 muffin tins
Butter 8 muffin tins and sprinkle sides and bottoms with bread crumbs. In bowl place cream, eggs and grated Grana Padano cheese. Whisk till well blended. Pour into muffin tins, bake for 20 minutes in oven preheated to 350 degrees. Remove from oven and set aside till warm
In saute pan, place 3 tblsps of extra virgin olive oil, sprig of fresh rosemary, cherry tomatoes that have been quartered, pinch of salt. Saute for 3 minutes. Place on individual serving plates.  unmold the muffin tins on side of the tomatoes on each individual plate. Place  small sprig of rosemary in center of souffle and drizzle olive oil on top, serve.
This makes a great antipasto or even a light first course. Serve with a dry white wine.
For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at https://www.marialiberati.com and http://stores.lulu.com/marialiberati
“Mangia Bene,Vivi Bene”
Maria