Anyone good at making "Parmos"?

[willhub]

I always try to make a parmo from time to time, but I cheat and use breaded chicken steaks, but I just CANNOT get the bechamel sauce to be thick enough to not just fall down the sides as opposed to just sitting on top, adding more and more flower doesn't seem to work.

Anyone mastered the art of parmo making?

 

[oHUTCHYo]

I do enjoy making my own parmo occasionally. Too much flour kills a good bechamel, especially if you don't let the roux cook off properly first. Its traditionally meant to be 1:1 flour/butter. I'd suggest keeping a pan of warm milk on the adjacent hob and adding slowly as needed. Bechamel does thicken after cooking and sometimes I've made it the night before hand and refridgerated. The resulting texture is snot - but makes it easy to spread on to the parmo.

Personally I think flattening and breadcrumbing your own chicken breast is far superior to get the much needed bite/crust texturally. I once tried panko but preferred golden breadcrumbs.

As an aside, I'm going to have a go at making a 'parm' on Friday night which the US/Aussie folk often mistakingly think us Brits are referring to when we mention parmo.

Crispy Chicken Parmesan (Parmigiana)

The Best Chicken Parmesan with a deliciously crispy breadcrumb coating, smothered in a rich homemade sauce and melted mozzarella cheese!

cafedelites.com

 

[willhub]

Perhaps I go wrong with the "roux", when I've followed recipe it goes into like a lumpy almost dough consistency and I just think it's going to burn and not be able to dissolve into the milk.

 

[oHUTCHYo]

Thats where I was going wrong. You get this little onset of panic and feel the need to immediately pour gallons of milk in. If you dont give the roux enough time you are not cooking out the flour, likewise it does burn quick too!

I use a metal whisk to keep it a constant stir and avoid lumps. Little white pepper and nutmeg helps with the taste. Adding a little cheese can give it some extra flavour too. When I'm making a white sauce for cauliflower/broccoli cheese I like putting a piece of stilton rind in there to melt.

 

[willhub]

I put some mozzarella cheese in the sauce once and it turned into this weird shiny dough makes me sick thinking about it lol.

I'll try the roux a bit longer next time

 

[Bear]

Perhaps I go wrong with the "roux", when I've followed recipe it goes into like a lumpy almost dough consistency and I just think it's going to burn and not be able to dissolve into the milk.

Take your time adding the flour a bit at a time and stir it in, instead of chucking in too much at the same time so it doesnt go lumpy then do the same with the milk

 

[ttaskmaster]

Never heard of a parmo until I saw the Hairy Bikers do one.
Their recipe seemed pretty good, although it looked nothing like the chip-shop versions they showed in their intro... probably half the calories and far more 'cheffy'.

 

[oHUTCHYo]

Living in the North East, Teesside in particular you cannot escape them. The local pizza/kebab shops right through to the gastropub scale. OK for an occasional treat but man are they calorific.

 

[D.P.]

Take your time adding the flour a bit at a time and stir it in, instead of chucking in too much at the same time so it doesnt go lumpy then do the same with the milk

you have to make the roux first, you can't add flour a bit a bit at a time

 

[Bear]

you have to make the roux first, you can't add flour a bit a bit at a time

I was talking about the roux, every time I’ve dumped the flour into the butter stir and cook it out it goes lumpy. If I stir the flour in a bit at a time I get a smooth paste

 

[Luckystrike123]

I love a parmo but unfortunately I've never been able to cook one half as good as you get from a good takeaway.

My favourite topping is ham and pineapple - if you are a fan of Hawaiian pizzas I think trying this is a must.