{"id":33305,"date":"2022-04-19T15:02:16","date_gmt":"2022-04-19T13:02:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tortelliniandco.com\/?p=33305"},"modified":"2026-03-21T15:06:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-21T14:06:20","slug":"cheese-flan-recipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tortelliniandco.com\/en\/cheese-flan-recipe\/","title":{"rendered":"Cheese flan. Tastes of the Emilia-Romagna Apennines"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cheese flan is a dish that originated in the local mountains, employing an expression we locals use to refer to the villages of the Emilia-Romagna Apennines.<\/span><\/p>\n

The dish is part of the culinary traditions of the <\/span>Romagna Toscana area<\/span><\/strong><\/a> and the Bolognese Apennines. From there, the recipe spread to the city of Bologna and the surrounding plains.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the past, the recipe called for only grated Parmigiano. The inclusion of other cheeses is a more recent development. Maddalena, my paternal grandmother, who was born and raised in the mountains between Romagna and Tuscany, used only grated Parmigiano. My mother-in-law, who is from Bologna, even though her father was from Rimini, uses only Emmental, and it’s equally delicious.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a dish reserved for the most important holidays, such as Christmas and Easter. In my childhood home, I remember it was mainly served at Easter, whereas at my husband’s house, it’s part of the Christmas menu.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

In both cases, the flan was baked, and I still make it this way, in a ring mold with a hole in the center. My grandmothers and my mother-in-law would serve it with small meatballs arranged in the middle of the flan. Again, like them, I make small meatballs that cook separately with the peas. I always use Grandma Sara’s recipe, which calls for a pinch of Italian sausage. A flavor that pairs well with the cheeses.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before the flan recipe, you’ll find the link to the meatball recipe.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n