Pecorino

Pecorino Romano
Pecorino Romano’s long and lustrous history began with the ancient Romans. Legend has it that a Roman shepherd filled his flask with sheep's milk before heading out on a long trip. The rocking motion during his trip caused the milk to naturally ferment and he was left with a primitive version of pecorino romano. Today the cheese is made somewhat more systematically throughout most of south central Italy. The process begins with whole sheep's milk that is coagulated with sheep's rennet. The resulting cheese is rubbed with salt and punctured in order for the salt to be fully absorbed while it ages for at least 8 months. With its slightly spicy flavor, pecorino romano is the perfect cheese to grate over leafy cooked vegetables like broccoli raab and is delicious as a table cheese paired with bitter, raw vegetables such as radishes, watercress or arugula. And, of course, pecorino romano gives a lively kick to classic pasta dishes like Spaghetti all'Amatriciana and Spaghetti alla Carbonara.

Pecorino Sardo
Pecorino Sardo is the Sardinian cousin of the ancient roman version. Produced on the wild and beautiful island of Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea, pecorino sardo can be both spicier and milder than pecorino romano, depending on how long it is aged. This semi-cooked cheese is made from fresh, whole sheep’s milk coagulated with calf rennet. After heating the curds, the cheese undergoes a brief soaking in brine. It is then dry-salted and aged. When aged for more than two months, Pecorino Sardo develos spicy notes and is perfect grated over potatoes, zucchini, and pasta dishes. Barely aged Pecorino Sardo is a mild table cheese. Its sweet, delicate flavor makes it an ideal ingredient in vegetable casseroles, baked pasta dishes, and raw vegetable salads.

Pecorino Toscano
Pecorino Toscano has been the pride of Tuscany for over 2,000 years. The Roman historian Pliny the Elder made a reference to the region's flourishing pecorino trade in his book Natural History, written in the 1st century A.D. Tuscans even use an ancient term to describe the age-old cheese. They call it cacio—from the Latin word caseus, meaning cheese—instead of the more modern Italian term formaggio. Wheels of this sheep's milk cheese are lauded for their distinctively mild flavor, herbal fragrance and smooth texture. Both young and aged pecorinos are used as table cheeses to be eaten by the slice, while extra-aged pecorino is grated over pasta, risotto and soups. The young cheese has a smooth, mild white interior and a light golden rind. Aged, the inside of the cheese darkens to straw-yellow. The color of the rind depends on what flavoring agents are applied to it—Tuscan pecorino can be matured in wine, flavored with peperoncino (chili pepper), or even aged under ashes. The flavor of aged pecorino is full and intense, but with a mellower aroma than aged pecorino from other regions such as Latium or Sardinia. The best way to enjoy Tuscan pecorino is in thick slices with crudités and fresh, crusty bread, or drizzled with honey.

Pecorino Siciliano
Pecorino Sicilano is yet another age-old cheese, produced and enjoyed on this Mediterranean island for centuries. Homer writes about Sicilian pecorino in the Odyssey, which means the cheese was a presence even in 800 B.C. Sardinia is the only region to raise more sheep than Sicily, and pecorino is widely produced throughout the region. It is often flavored with pepe nero or rosso, or whole black or red pepper, giving the cheese a characteristic spicy and sharp taste. Without salt, this cheese is called Tuma; then, after the first salting it is referred to as Primo Sale, which is aged for 4 months. These cheeses have a softer, more delicate flavor and are consumed as a table cheese. The Secondo Sale is produced after 2 months of maturation and has a stronger, spicier flavor—this Sicilian pecorino is mostly used for grating.

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