High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Grana originally referred to a class of hard, mature cheeses from Italy which have a granular texture and are often used for grating. These cheeses are typically made in the form of large drums. The structure is often described as crystalline, and the drums are divided by being split with a fairly blunt triangular knife designed for the purpose, rather than being sliced, cut or sawed. Within the European Union, the term Grana is now legally protected by Grana Padano Protected Designation of Origin, such that only Grana Padano may be sold using the term in EU countries.