Food

What is a parmo?

what is a parmo?
Someone made a Parmo on Masterchef (Picture: BBC)

Anyone who hails from, or has been to Teesside, will have tried or at least know of the Parmo, especially after a night out on the lash.

The northeast delicacy is a treat for the taste buds, and is so popular that Anthony OShaughnessy served it up on Masterchef to judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode with them remarking, it could be the next big thing #chickenparmo.

But what is it?

The Parmo has Italian links through their national dish the Parmigiana.

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what is a parmo?
Wed shove our faces right in that, tbh (Picture: BBC)

Traditionally found in southern Italy, this is a shallow fried filling coated in parmesan cheese and tomato, then baked in the oven.

The Teesside version is a dish consisting of deep-fried breaded chicken, pork, or other meat covered with béchamel sauce and cheese and then grilled.

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So how did it find its way to Middlesbrough, Teesside?

what is a parmo?
A Stockton pub landlord recreates a version of Teessides Parmo.

The story goes that during World War II, an Italian-American soldier called Nicos Harris, a chef in the American army, was wounded in battle France and brought to England for treatment.

When recovered, he moved up to the northeast and made his life in Middlesbrough. Nicos opened a restaurant in the town in 1958 and created his own version of the parmigiana which he named a Parmo for customers.

They soon caught on and nowadays, parmos are an extremely popular takeaway dish throughout the town and surrounding towns of Stockton, Hartlepool.

They can be found even in supermarkets throughout the Teesside region.

But be warned it is only to be consumed as a treat.

For the humble looking Parma contains 2600 calories 150 grams of fat.

Double your daily intake!

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