You say grater and the thought immediately runs to an abundant dusting of cheese which completes a steaming pasta dish. Correct, but this simple and functional tool also has the dowry of the versatility and is capable of reserving numerous surprises.
Which material should you choose?
Let's start with the materials: on the market there are graters of various shapes, sizes and prices. The most common, those in steel, they are also the most resistant; able with the right maintenance to last for decades.
Cheaper, but less precise in the work and more easily subject to breakages, those in plastic which can however be useful in travel situations or, for example, to involve children in the kitchen without fear.
The graters have a fascinating retro flavor porcelain or glass, which present themselves with the characteristic shape of a saucer with the part to be used for grating in relief. Precise and perfect, for example, for ginger, they are widely used by parents dealing with it weaning precisely because of its ability to easily reduce fruit in the finest pulp.
A grater, many uses
To combine practicality and reduced space in the kitchen, graters are very useful today Multifunction: small parallelepipeds that on each side have a different blade, to achieve types of cutting suitable for different foods.
The greatness of the holes – more or less large – determines the way in which foods are grated and consequently the type of recipe in which to use them.
Grater going, recipe you find
THE tiny holes are necessary for the nutmeg, to be added to creamy puree or wrapping bechamel home made; this type of grater is also perfect for making it zest of citrus fruits to be used to perfume the dough of cakes or to give a fresh touch to savory dishes such as roast or velvety vegetables. A grating of fine dark chocolate can be a refined finishing touch for desserts, but why not try it on the classic too tiramisu as an alternative to the classic cocoa?
The grater a larger holes it allows to obtain a rustic cut, like the one needed for the Apulian cacioricotta on the orecchiette or to prepare the potatoes for the Rosti, the typical pancakes of Northern European cuisine.
Modern graters can have, as we said, even less common blades: those with square holes allow you to easily and quickly make julienne vegetables more or less fine (depending on the size of the holes). The grater with one blade, similar to the mandolin, which allows to realize, without too many fears for the safety of our fingers, lamellae of vegetables (such as potato or carrot chips) and perfect cheeses to enrich decorating savory quiche, colorful salads or even to fill a delicious sandwich.
Space then to the imagination and the desire to be amazed by the many potentials of the grater!
Claudia Minnella
March 2019
DISCOVER THE COOKING COURSES OF SALT & PEPE
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