Pecorino Romano Cheese

Pecorino romano italian cheese

Pecorino Romano Italian Cheese is a popular ingredient in pasta dishes. It is used to season fillers, for gratinating or as a sliced cheese is a popular ingredient of cheese platters. The taste and consistency of pecorino differ greatly depending on the place of manufacture.

What is Pecorino and what does it look like?

Originally, the Pecorino Romano Italian Chesse was made from sheep's milk.  Meanwhile, there are quite a few and cheaper varieties.The Pecorino is an Italian hard cheese, which can look different depending on the production method and variety. The origin of the name is the Italian word Pecora, which means sheep. While the young Pecorino, which is not yet fully matured, has almost white bark, the bark is getting darker with increasing maturity.

The Origin

The name Pecorino derives from the Italian word for sheep, "Pecora". It describes a group of hard cheeses from all over Italy. Originally the cheese was made from pure sheep's milk, today there is also cheese with added cow and goat's milk. Pecorino is considered the oldest cheese in Italy whose origins can be traced back to at least 2000 years. In the Middle Ages, the sheep's cheese Pecorino Romano was demonstrably part of the food rations of the Roman legionaries. Today, the spicy cheese made from sheep's milk is widespread throughout Italy and also popular in other countries.

Where does Pecorino come from?

The origin of Pecorino is Italy. In Tuscany, the hard cheese already knew the Etruscans. Traditionally, it is made from sheep's milk, which lives in the Lazio region and in Sardinia. It is fresh, medium ripe and mature.

How is Pecorino made?

Pecorino is made from raw milk.The basis for making the cheese is raw milk, traditionally from sheep. This sheep's milk is heated from 36 to 38 degrees Celsius. Then the lab is added from kid and lamb stomachs. This is followed by a coagulation time of 45 minutes, after which the jelly is cut and the curd is heated and stirred until sufficient whey has been released.The resulting product is now placed in special baskets in which the cheese grows together during the ripening period. These baskets also explain the typical Pecorino basket print pattern.

Finally, the raw cheese is dipped in heated whey and pulled to extend the shelf life either by boiling brine or salting the loaves dry. During the production of the Pecorini, about 90 percent of whey is preserved, from which in turn ricotta is produced.

How does Pecorino taste?

Pecorino (from Italian Pecora, sheep) is a spicy cheese with a variety of uses similar to parmesan cheese. It is said that the raw milk cheese has a nutty note with lemony flavor, which is commonly associated with sheep's milk cheese. But there are differences in consistency and taste depending on the degree of ripeness. While the young, fresh Pecorino is very soft, the hardness increases with the duration of maturation whose taste is always spicy and intense. The aroma of Pecorino is unmistakable.

Pecorino: part of a good diet?

Every region of Italy knows its variants of Pecorino. The Pecorino bears the epithet "cheese of the centenarians" and is like all cheeses that are very healthy. Among other things, the sheep's milk cheese contains a lot of protein and is a good source of calcium. If the cheese loaf is made from sheep's milk as is traditionally the case, it can also be a tasty alternative for people who have an intolerance to cow's milk.

Also, the Italian hard cheese lower cholesterol and is considered to be lower in fat than other cheeses (fat content: 48 percent fat in dry matter). Nonetheless, it is high in calories, which is why the Pecorino was rather enjoyed in moderation rather than being eaten in bulk.

For which recipes is Pecorino particularly suitable?

Pecorino is excellent for grilling and is a popular ingredient in pasta and casserole dishes. The hard pecorino can be grated like grated Parmesan cheese and, for example, put on pizza. As grated cheese, it is also used in many other recipes of southern Italian cuisine.Anyone who would like to enjoy sheep's milk cheese from raw milk as a table cheese can slice it and eat it with dried tomatoes and olive oil.

Which drinks go well with Pecorino?

A classic drink for Pecorino is a mature red wine with a light to strong flavors such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. But the classic Italian wines such as Chianti, Valpolicella or a strong Barolo or Barbaresco harmonize well with the Italian hard cheese exceptionally well.

What should I look for when buying Pecorino?

When buying Pecorino (from Italian Pecora, sheep), the choice should always be for a hard cheese made from pure milk from sheep and not stretched with cheaper cow or goat's milk. Which degree of ripeness and which variety are chosen is first and foremost a matter of personal taste. In principle, one can say: With one of the original varieties from Italy you certainly do not go wrong. These are of consistently outstanding quality and can be recognized by the DOP seal. What is the DOP seal? DOP for short, is the Italian seal for products with a protected designation of origin.

How and how long can Pecorino be stored?

As a hard cheese that has been deprived of moisture, the Pecorino has a long shelf life and can be stored in the fridge for a longer period. For storage, a special cheese container is recommended. Alternatively, it can also be wrapped in wax paper/parchment paper or cotton cloth.

Which cheeses are similar to Pecorino?

Very similar to the Pecorino is the Canestrato di Moliterno, which has been protected throughout the EU since 2010. The Parmigiano Reggiano is often called as an alternative to Pecorino. In contrast to Pecorino, this is made from cow's milk.

 

Pecorino is a term used to define Italian cheeses made from 100% sheep’s milk. Out of the four Pecorino cheeses that have received Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status under European Union law, Pecorino Romano is one of the most ancient types of cheese as well as the most famous outside of Italy. As per legislation, production of Pecorino Romano cheese is allowed only on the islands of Sardinia, Lazio and in the Tuscan Province of Grosseto. As the name suggests, the history of Pecorino Romano cheese dates back to the Roman times when it was a part of the staple diet of soldiers at war.

Suggestion: Pecorino Romano cheese makes an excellent grating cheese over pasta dishes, breads and baking casseroles. Although, the use of the cheese is limited because of its extreme saltiness. Pair it with a glass of big, bold Italian red wine or a light beer.

2.2 pound (1 kilogram) - WEIGHT APPROXIMATES

Ingredients: Pasteurized sheep's milk, salt, rennet, bacteral culture

Packaging: Vacuum-sealed plastic

Aging: 18 months
Flavor: Salty, sharp, smokey, spicy
Texture: Hard, crumbly, dense, flaky and grainy
Color: Pale yellow
Aroma: Nutty, strong

Product of Italy