Sformatini di Parmigiano Reggiano

These flans served with caramelized scallions and Prosciutto Crudo di Parma are a great appetizer to start an authentic dinner as if you were in Parma. Close your eyes while tasting this enriched flavour and you will believe of being seated in a fancy restaurant in the main piazza. Can you see the warm light on the ancient buildings and hear Italian voices speaking and laughing?

 

INGREDIENTS (serves 4 people)
4 eggs
200 ml heavy cream
150 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano
cheese
salt
white pepper
butter to grease the molds
8 small scallions
3 tablespoons cane sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
8 thin slices Prosciutto Crudo di Parma

 

Turn on the oven 180°C and put in a cake tray half filled with cold water, so that when you are ready to cook the sformatini the water will already be hot.In the meantime, mix the grated Parmigiano Reggiano, cream, eggs and a pinch of salt and pepper in the mixer. Grease the cupcake molds with butter and fill them to ¾ of their capacity with the mixture. Put the sformatini in the oven in the boiling water and cook for about 30-40 mins (depending on the dimesion of your molds). Use a wooden toothpick to check if they are cooked: if the stick is dried after piercing they are done.While the sformatini is cooking, boil the pealed scallions in a pot of salted water for about 5 mins.In another small pan prepare the caramel with the sugar and the water. Add the baslamic vinegar and the boiled scallions and caramelize on a low flame for about 10 mins. Serve each hot sformatino with 2 caramelized scallions and 2 slices of Prosciutto Crudo.