Trying different types of cheeses can be one of the largest joys of life. But whenever I try a new formaggio, whether it be a soft brie from France, or a fontina from la Val D’ Aosta, I may buy it a few times afterward, but I’ll always stick to eating one cheese: Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan).

My dream gift.

They say that Parmigiano is the best cheese for you. It’s rich in calcium and protein. One thing is for sure, it has a distinct flavor. I enjoy the cheese aged no more than 24 months, and from Italy, of course. In Italy, I was going through an 8-pound block of Parmigiano every week. So when we returned to Virginia, my family and I had the idea of getting a large wheel of the cheese from Parma, Italy to last us for months (or maybe just weeks). Well, the dream came true. My dad ordered half a wheel to use for his company’s party, and I was given the left overs.

The wheel of Parmigiano is a perfect companion to a frittata recipe I created. The frittata is an egg dish found all over Italia that has great flexibility in terms of what you can add to it. I made my first one over the summer with parmigiano and arugula, which I unfortunately didn’t take photos of. However, I did capture shots of one I made using my wheel of cheese in Virginia.

Spinach Frittata with Parmigiano Reggiano

• 7 eggs
• Fresh Spinach
• Tomatoes
• Fresh Parmesan
• Olive Oil
• Red Pepper Flakes (just a dash)
• Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

On medium-high heat, sauté the spinach in olive oil and a dash of red pepper flakes. Cook on the pan until leaves turn mushy, like a classic spinach.

Cook the spinach in olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes.

While the spinach cooks, crack the eggs and beat them in a bowl. Grate about a 3/4 cup of fresh parmigiano and beat it in the eggs.

Throw in the chopped tomatoes and let them heat until the peel starts to peel off each slice. Season the spinach and tomatoes with a good amount of salt, and taste test to determine your preferred amount.

Add tomatoes to spinach.

Pour the eggs over the spinach and tomatoes. Let it cook for about 4 minutes, or until the frittata becomes firm.

Pour eggs over spinach and tomatoes.

Place some additional slices of parmigiano on top and put the frittata in the oven. Let it crisp up for about 4 minutes.

The frittata goes great with a side of “sauteed broccolini.”