How To Cook Italian Pecorino Cheese - Recipe

Pecorino is a name given to Italian cheeses made from sheep's milk. The word "pecor" means sheep. The name covers a wide variety of cheeses made in Italy, but specifically refers to four main types of Pecorino. They all have the status of Protected Designation of Origin in the European Union, legally guaranteeing that the cheese is produced in certain regions of Italy from certain breeds of sheep, using specific production methods.

The origin of pecorino cheese dates back thousands of years. The introduction to modern times comes from sheep farming in the Mediterranean, which for hundreds of years in Italy has provided many of the family's needs - from cheese, milk and meat, to fleece, which can be woven into clothes and blankets.

Today, this classic Italian cheese is offered with different flavors, determined by their ripening time and the added ingredients.

Pecorino are traditional, buttery, hard, salty and with round or cylindrical cheese. A good cheese has a smooth, hard rind that is pale to dark brown in color, varying according to the degree of ripening. Pecorino can also be made from a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk.

This type of cheese is preferred in many pasta dishes and an obvious choice in the Italian regions where it is produced. It very well replaces the expensive Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan Reggiano or the Parmesan familiar to all of us), but it is saltier.

The four most popular pecorino cheeses are named after the areas in which they are produced. According to the types on offer are Fresco , which is a fresh cheese with a soft texture; Semi-stagionato  - semi-mature or semi-mature cheese and Maturo , which has matured with a saltier taste and firmer structure.

As the ripening period is extended, the pecorino cheese acquires a firmer texture and a saltier taste, making it perfect for grating. A great combination is obtained by sprinkling lasagna with it.

Types of pecorino

Pecorino Romano is the most famous Pecorino cheese. It dates back to Roman times, when it was valued for its long shelf life, which is why it was used as food for the Roman army when traveling. As it matures, Pecorino Romano becomes saltier and firmer. It is characterized by its sharp taste. Mature varieties are called "stagionato". They are harder and have a crumbly structure.

Pecorino Romano can be produced in the Italian regions of Lazio, Sardinia and Tuscany, and is traditionally made in Rome, whence its name.

Great combinations are obtained when Pecorino Romano is added to soups, salads, pasta or on vegetables or fruits such as pears.

Pecorino Romano is high in protein and is a good source of the trace elements calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium.

This is a hard cheese made from sheep's milk. Pecorino Toscano is softer and less salty than Pecorino Romano. It can only be produced in Tuscany.

The cheese is ready for consumption after 20 days of ripening as fresh or after one month when it is fully ripe. It is formed in the form of small round and solid wheels.

It has a characteristic sweet buttery and with a slight hint of walnuts taste. It is often eaten as a table cheese. It melts easily, which makes it especially suitable for a light dessert after a meal, as well as in combination with honey or pears, and maybe with figs. Ripe Pecorino Toscano is a great substitute for Parmigiano Reggiano, grated on pasta, soup or salad.

It is a hard sheep's milk cheese made on the Italian island of Sardinia. It is less salty than Pecorino Romano and has a richer taste than it. Its sharpness increases with ripening time.

Pecorino Sardo goes well with pesto or sliced ​​fruit.

It is a hard cheese made from sheep's milk. It is prepared on the Italian island of Sicily. It is less salty than Pecorino Romano and Siciliano. It ripens in 3-4 months to 18 months.

Pepato is called Pecorino Siciliano, flavored with black pepper. Pecorino Pepato, which means "Peppered Pecorino", is prepared by adding black pepper during the removal of whey in the cheese-making process.

In some regions of Italy, especially in the south, Pecorino is often prepared with additional ingredients such as walnuts, pistachios or truffles and flavored with spices.