This is drawn from Dall'Antipasto al Dolce, a promotional booklet Vincenzo Buonassisi put together for the Grana Padano consorzio. It will work nicely as an antipasto, and will serve 6.

• 8 stalks celery
• 2 ounces (60 g) mascarpone cheese (if need be substitute mild cream cheese)
• 2 1/4 cups (120 g) grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Shavings of Grana or Parmigiano for garnish

Begin by blanching the stalks of celery, then strip out the fibers that run up the backs of the stocks and cut the stocks into 3-inch lengths.

Beat the mascarpone and the grated cheese until the mixture is fluffy, then stir in the brandy and season to taste with salt and pepper. Full the celery sticks with the mixture, lay shavings of cheese over them, and arrange them on a platter.

Serve with a fairly sweet white wine that has a hint of botrytis, for example a Clos Beaudoin Vouvray Molleux.

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