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You are here: Home / Dairy / Cheese / Sheep’s Milk Cheeses / Pecorino Cheese

Pecorino Cheese

Pecorino is the name given to all Italian cheeses made from sheep’s milk.

Contents hide
  • 1 Pecorino cheeses distinguished by aging
  • 2 Cooking Tips
  • 3 Language Notes
  • 4 Types of pecorino
    • 4.1 Pecorino Ginepro Cheese
    • 4.2 Pecorino Pepato Cheese
    • 4.3 Pecorino Romano Cheese
    • 4.4 Pecorino Sardo Cheese
    • 4.5 Pecorino Siciliano Cheese
    • 4.6 Pecorino Toscano Cheese

Pecorino cheeses distinguished by aging

These cheeses can be sold either young or old. The old ones are sometimes referred to as “ripened” (“stagionato”.) They are generally aged for at least 4 months, developing a strong, defined flavour, a brittle, hard texture and a thick yellowish or brownish rind. The rinds have a herringbone pattern, which used to be caused by the cheese press made of strands of grass. Now, because it is expected, the marks are made by plastic moulds (just as for Spanish Manchego cheese.)

The younger versions may be matured for only 20 days. They are softer, and have a milder taste. They are sometimes referred to as “sweet.” These younger versions melt and slice well, but don’t grate well.

Both aged and young versions will have a salty tang to them.

  • Pecorino Romano is the name given to cheeses from the Rome area. They are well-aged and sharp;
  • Pecorino Toscano is from Tuscany, milder and creamy when young, stronger and drier when aged;
  • Pecorino Sardo is from Sardinia;
  • Pecorino Siciliano from Sicily.

 

Cooking Tips

Aged pecorinos can be easily shaved or grated.

Language Notes

“Pecora” in Italian means “sheep”. “Pecorino” is an adjective derived from that word, meaning “pertaining to sheep.”

Types of pecorino

Pecorino Ginepro Cheese

Pecorino Ginepro is cheese flavoured with juniper and balsamic vinegar. It is made from unpasteurized sheep's milk curdled with calf's rennet in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The cheeses are aged a minimum of four months. During the first month of aging,...

Pecorino Pepato Cheese

This is usually a Pecorino Cheese, which has crushed black peppercorns stirred in. The cheese mellows the flavour of the peppercorns, making them less overwhelming. There is not one single producer or standard, because the name is not protected....

Pecorino Romano Cheese

Pecorino Romano is a creamy-white cheese made from sheep's milk in the vicinity of Rome. The curd is drained, then pierced to make fine holes, then salted. It's often just called "Romano Cheese." The cheese seems a bit like Parmesan, but grates more...

Pecorino Sardo Cheese

Pecorino Sardo is a relatively new cheese, at least "officially speaking", having only received its "Designated Origin" certification in 1991 from Italy, and its EU PDO protection in 1996. It is made from sheep's milk, like all Pecorino cheeses. The...

Pecorino Siciliano Cheese

Pecorino Siciliano is made from sheep's milk, as are all Pecorino cheeses. The unpasteurized milk is curdled with lamb's Rennet, moulded and salted. The cheese is allowed to age for a minimum of 4 months. It's made in Sicily. Cooking Tips Parmesan,...

Pecorino Toscano Cheese

Pecorino Toscano is made from sheep's milk that is heated but not pasteurized. It is then curdled with rennet, put in moulds and pressed. The cheese is then removed from the moulds, and salted or soaked in brine (sometimes they are also steamed.) It's...
This page first published: Sep 10, 2002 · Updated: May 21, 2020.

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Tagged With: Extra-Hard Cheeses, Italian Cheeses, Italian Food

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