What cheeses do Italians eat with pasta?

It depends on the geographic area and on the recipe. Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano are national staples; aged Pecorino is very common (some recipes from central Italy, such as Carbonara and Amatriciana, require this cheese, and particularly Pecorino Romano to be used). read more

Pecorino Romano, Pecorino Sardo, Ricotta Salata, Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, Pepato, and Provolone are cheeses grated on pasta. One cheese used by Italians from Bari is Ricotta Forte. Its a very pungent ricotta that is diluted with a little sauce and then added to the pasta. read more

And an Italian would never, ever use a spoon to eat pasta -- unless that pasta is in soup. Maureen Fant, co-author of Sauces & Shapes: Pasta the Italian Way, explains how to serve and eat pasta like an Italian. read more

If French cheeses are best served preceding or culminating a meal, Italian cheeses are often woven into the fabric of dinner (or breakfast, or lunch). Parmigano-Reggiano, the King of Cheese, is ubiquitous grated over fresh pasta, or slivered atop asparagus, or tangled up with peppery arugula and a squeeze of lemon. read more