This Salty, Tangy Addition Completely Changes PB&J
Peanut butter and jelly is such a quintessential food pairing that people reference it to describe other things which go together. You can find the combination in everything from breakfast oat bar recipes to smoothies, but it's most often found slathered in between slices of bread. Though this lunch box staple can arguably stand on its own, people have tried upgrading PB&J sandwiches by adding honey, cereal bits, or potato chips. However, you could incorporate cheese instead — more specifically, Pecorino Romano.
Pecorino Romano is an earthy sheep's milk cheese with a distinct salty flavor. It's also said to have a slight tang. So the cheese contributes an umami profile to the sweet nuttiness of the peanut butter and the bright, tartness of jelly. Bryan Suarez (@bshnuez) shared the upgrade idea on Instagram, laying toasted thick cut bread with peanut butter, jelly, and a healthy amount of shredded Pecorino cheese. While it might seem like an odd pairing, Suarez pointed out in the comments that "any charcuterie board you've eaten has , jam, nuts, cheese and a cracker or bread element. So it's a familiar combo in a different font!"
The receptions to this upgrade are pretty positive, so you may want to try it for yourself
Suarez's PB&J definitely drew in some skeptics, but many commenters seemed eager to try it. One user praised the idea, saying, "This combination is KING!" Another attested to its greatness: "OMG, I just made myself this pbjp beauty and it's soooo gooooood! Will continue making it forever... yummmmm." Another creator, @runandeatwithjack, tried out the sandwich too, noting, "That's delicious. Sweet and savory playing off each other ... a little bit of funkiness in there from the cheese."
Making this cheesy PB&J isn't hard to do. Just grab a loaf of brioche, some raspberry jam, smooth peanut butter, and of course, a block of Pecorino. A few popular brands include Locatelli, FULVI, and Rio Briati, which is pre-shredded. You can also use Parmesano Regiano as a substitute for Pecorino Romano, though you won't get quite the salty kick that the latter offers. That said, the Parmesan, because of its natural nuttiness, may mesh well with peanut butter.