Hard salted cheese based on sheep's milk was first prepared in the vicinity of Rome. The locals loved the product so much that they began to add it to most Italian dishes. There is an opinion that in the classic version they use not, but one of the varieties of pecorino.

The product is still being prepared by hand. It matures for at least 5 months. Long exposure gives piquancy, pungency and significantly increases its cost.

What you need to know about the product, how do the varieties of pecorino differ from each other and what happens to the human body with prolonged use of cheese?

General product characteristics

Pecorino is the common name for a family of Italian cheeses. Italian Pecorino is made from sheep's milk, in some cases herbs or spices are added. The product has a grainy texture that becomes more visible as it ripens. Ripe cheese literally falls apart into small bars, without losing its elasticity and dense consistency.

Etymological reference. The name comes from an Italian word with Roman roots "pecora" - sheep.

Pecorino is much healthier than most Italian cheeses. The main ingredient is sheep milk. It is abundant in the essential calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), retinol (A), ascorbic acid (C), and tocopherol (E).

In most Italian provinces, pecorino is served as a stand-alone snack or dessert. The product goes well with homemade, all types of nuts, etc. But the use of pecorino isn't limited to bruschetta or a cheese platter. Cheese is added to soups, cold and warm salads. Chopped pecorino is an eternal companion of traditional spaghetti. When choosing drinks for an Italian evening, focus on the classic Chianti. It is this dry red wine from Tuscany that is the preferred option for all types of pecorino.

Interesting: the dense head of the aged pecorino is used as a sports equipment in the Italian game Ruzzola. The cheese is tied to the player's hand with a special ribbon. The competitor must throw the product as far as possible. The winning team gets social approval and that same piece of cheese.

Varieties of Italian cheeses

Different parts of Italy use different recipes for sheep cheese. Due to the geographical features, there are 4 varieties of pecorino on the market. Among them: Romano, Sardo, Toscano, Siciliano.

Pecorino Romano is especially popular. It is a salty cheese that is prepared on the island of Sardinia and in the Italian region of Latium. The dense Romano heads exude a subtle, pungent odor. The product is famous for its characteristic salty flavor. The cheese ripens within 8-12 months. It is produced in large cylindrical shapes. The weight of one cheese bar varies from 5 to 22 kilograms, the height is 30 centimeters, and the head diameter is 20 centimeters. Romano has a smooth crust and a dense, uniform structure. It is served as a dessert with honey and jams, added to soups, salads, meat and fish dishes.

Interesting: the novel is popular not only in Spain, but also in the USA. Americans have been exporting the product since the 19th century and have eaten as often as national dishes.

A less popular cheese is pecorino siciliano. It is produced in Sicily in two variations: tuma and primo sala. Tuma is a young, unsalted product that is known for its delicate texture and soft crust. Prima Salé is a more seasoned and salty cheese with a bright flavor and aroma palette. If a Siciliano matures for more than 2 years, then it is called canestrato. The product is left to mature in tall cylindrical heads. At the exit, they receive bulk cheese bars weighing 5-12 kilograms and 10-18 centimeters high.

The third type of product is sardo. This is a boiled pressed cheese, the production of which is controlled by Sardinia. Sardo is considered the most delicate cheese in the pecorino family. It is used as a base for the exotic cheese product Kasu Marzu. This is a semi-decomposed mass, inside which the larvae of a cheese fly live. The sardo has several maturation levels, at each of which the cheese is ready to eat. The older the bar, the denser the structure and the more piquant the taste.

Another variation of pecorino is tuscany. This is a pressed or soft cheese from the Tuscan village of Siena. Cheese is consumed every day not only in Tuscany, but also in the nearby environs of Umbria and Lazio. The seasoned Tuscany is called stagionato. The product matures for about 6 months in miniature forms, which are greased and strewn with ash. The finished bar fills the receptors with nutty, oily and aged ash notes. The younger the cheese, the sweeter, softer, milder its taste and structure. Many people prefer the neutral version of Tuscany over the multicomponent stagionato.

Pecorino contains not only sheep's milk. Enthusiasts create amazing combinations of flavors from traditional Italian products and spices. Black pepper, red slices, nuts, and tomato puree are often added to cheese heads. The chefs add only fresh natural products, which guarantees the quality and benefits of the cheese.

Interesting. All varieties of pecorino are endowed with a special status - PDO (Protected Designation of Origin). This means that the cheese is protected in origin. Its production can only be carried out on clearly defined Italian lands, to which the pecorino belongs. Making cheese outside the permissible zone without special permission is a liability offense.

Chemical composition of pecorino romano 27% fat

Continuing a series of articles on Italian hard cheeses, I publish a small review of Pecorino Romano - one of the members of the Pecorino family of cheeses, which are made from sheep's milk and aged for a long time. The name Pecorino is derived from pecora, which means "sheep" in Italian. The word Romano partly refers to the region of cheese production: these are Grossetto, Lazio (Rome and surroundings), and Sardinia.

You can read notes about other popular Italian hard cheeses (albeit from cow's milk) here:,.

A bit of theory and history

The Pecorino family includes many different cheeses, but four are the most famous: Pecorino Romano, Pecorino Sardo, Pecorino Toscano, Pecorino Siciliano. So far, we are only interested in Pecorino Romano, which, I must say, is close in manufacturing technology to Pecorino Sardo and Pecorino Siciliano (although it is distinguished by increased salinity). All of these four types of Pecorino are protected by geographic name (category PDO), that is, they can only be produced within strictly delineated areas. This ensures that certain production and taste standards are met and the quality is maintained at a high level, although it negatively affects the final price of the cheese.

Pecorino Romano is produced on the island of Sardinia (along with another local Pecorino - Sardo), in the provinces of Grosseto and the administrative region of Lazio, of which Rome is the capital. This cheese was made in the vicinity of Rome for a very long time, starting from the time of the Roman Empire. It is believed that this cheese was an important part of the diet of the Roman legionnaires; mentions of him are found in the writings of Hippocrates and Pliny the Elder. Pecorino Romano has been produced in Sardinia since the end of the 19th century.

Pecorino Romano ripens for at least five months, is done with a significant amount of manual labor (in particular, it is manually “fermented” and salted, and a lot of salt is put into it). Milk is obtained from sheep that have grazed in the natural pastures of Sardinia and Lazio. Subsequently, the milk is subjected to short-term heat treatment (heating to 68 degrees for 15 minutes).

Then - at the right time - a strictly defined ferment is introduced, an enzyme from lamb rennet (lambs must be grown again either in Lazio or Sardinia), salt; then they form cylindrical circles, put them in molds and send them for ripening (of course, this is an extremely simplified description of the production process). One round of Pecorino Romano cheese weighs between 20 and 45 kilograms. The ripening period usually does not exceed 12 months.

I have already written about the Trentin company, which is not very interesting and well-known, in articles about and, therefore, I will not repeat myself.

The composition of Pecorino Romano cheese is as follows: sheep's milk (pasteurized), salt, rennet, lactic acid bacteria. Fat content - about 30%. Mass fraction of fat in dry matter - about 45%. Energy value - 390-420 kcal.

Personal impressions

The Pecorino Romano by Trentin has a very light, almost white color, but with a very slight yellowish-cream shade. The consistency is hard, grainy, crumbly. The aroma is moderate, cheesy, salty, slightly spicy. The taste is rich, bright, slightly spicy, piquant, even harsh. The taste is very peculiar, I would say - for an amateur. The salinity is high. The aftertaste is salty, pungent, very long-lasting. Interesting, but specific cheese that not everyone will like.

Pecorino Romano can be eaten neat, but it seems to me better to add it to hot dishes - for example, pasta, pasta, fish, and so on. And remember that salt the dish itself must be very careful, since the cheese itself has a high salt content. By the way, it is very likely that Pecorino Romano can be used to make excellent cheese chips that go well with beer: at least I've seen a recipe for Parmesan chips.

As an accompaniment to Pecorino Romano, nuts, toasts, unsweetened fruits, dry wines are well suited.

Where to buy and how much does it cost

Pecorino Romano cheese is not often found in Russian stores, but it is quite easy for residents of large cities to find it. In particular, this cheese is sold in Auchan. The price of a 200-gram package of Pecorino Romano from Trentin is about 140 rubles, and if you buy a kilogram of this cheese by weight, it will cost you about 550-600 rubles. This is a low price; in ordinary supermarkets, prices for 200-gram Pecorino Romano (optional Trentin) packages start at about 200 rubles and sometimes reach 350 rubles.

Pecorino cheese belongs to the extensive family of Italian cheeses that are produced.

As a rule, it has a rather grainy texture, which becomes more noticeable with the time of ripening. The name of this cheese is translated as sheep (from the Italian pecora), and it takes its origin from ancient Roman times.

Pecorino cheese is produced in various regions of Italy, which explains the presence of regional varieties of this cheese. Among them, four main ones stand out - Pecorino Toscano, Romano, Sardo and Siciliano cheese.

Pecorino romano (Romano) - Cheese, originally from the Lazio region, has a grainy structure with small eyes, light yellow color, spicy taste. Ripening period 5 - 8 months. A similar cheese made outside the Lazio region is called Pecorino tipo romano.

Pecorino sardo (Sardo) - the cheese is made in Sardinia. Produced in two types: dolce (with a green label) - young cheese with a soft structure; maturo (with a blue label) - more matured, has a firm structure, salty taste, sometimes smoky.

Pecorino siciliano (Siciliano)- cheese originally from Sicily. A young, unsalted cheese with a mild flavor is called tuma. Salted cheese is called primo sale. Pecorino, after two years of ripening, is called canestrato (due to the characteristic imprint of the wicker basket where the cheese was stored). An even more mature cheese is called tumazzu (made with saffron or black peppercorns).

Pecorino toscano (Toscano) - cheese is made in the heart of the Tuscany region - in Chianti. Young cheese (tenero) matures in 2-4 weeks, medium-ripened cheese is 2 months old, and old pecorino (pasta dura) takes 6 months to mature.

The Tuscan people claim that the spicy herbs for which their land is famous give the pecorino a special flavor that sets it apart from other cheeses in this group. Therefore, cheese makers ensure that the sheep graze freely in the meadows. Pecorino is produced from December to August.

A special kind of Tuscan pecorino is marzolino - a small egg-shaped cheese made from March milk.

The region also produces Pecorino senese - cheese grated with tomato puree.

Pecorino tartufato (truffle) - cheese with ground black and white truffles. The ripening period of the cheese is 2 - 3 months.

Pecorino in fossa (in the pit) - for the cheese they dig a hole in the ground, put straw on the bottom and set it on fire. Cheese is placed in the pit, wrapped in walnut leaves and cotton cloth. The cheese ripens for 3 months.

Pecorino alle Vinacce (wine) - after ripening for 7 - 8 months in the cellar, the cheese is transferred for 3 months on grape cake in barrels of red wine. The cheese takes on a purple crust and a spicy aroma.

Pecorino di Castel del Monte (from Castel del Monte) - cheese from the regions of Abruzzo and Molise. Ripening period from 40 days to 2 years. Pecorino is covered with a dark nut shell, has a piquant taste and intense aroma.

Calorie content of Pecorino cheese 419 kcal.

Energy value of Pecorino cheese (ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates):

Proteins: 25.5 g (~ 102 kcal)
Fat: 33 g (~ 297 kcal)
Carbohydrates: 0 g. (~ 0 kcal)

Energy ratio (b | f | y): 24% | 71% | 0%

The benefits of Pecorino cheese are due to the presence of a large amount of essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

There is vitamin A in this product, which is useful for visual acuity, as well as vitamin E, which is necessary for beauty.

The B vitamins are part of Pecorino cheese, which have a beneficial effect on the activity of the nervous system, which in turn helps to get rid of insomnia and stress.

There is ascorbic acid in this product, which strengthens the immune system and helps the body to resist the action of viruses.

Pecorino cheese contains calcium, which, together with phosphorus, participates in the regeneration of bone tissue. In addition, this product improves the condition of teeth, nails and hair. It is recommended to include Pecorino cheese in your diet for people who are involved in sports or mental work.

Where is Pecorino cheese used?

Pecorino cheese is a great stand-alone snack that is ideal, grapes and walnuts. You can also serve this product with homemade bread with honey.

Shredded Pecorino cheese is used as an additive to pasta, pizza, and casseroles. This product goes well with wines.

In addition, sauces can be prepared from Pecorino cheese, which are suitable for both vegetable and meat dishes.

How to replace Pecorino cheese in a recipe?

It often happens that they decided to cook some kind of dish, but Pecorino cheese was not found in the store. The question arises: "What is the substitute for Pecorino cheese in the recipe?"

Since Pecorino is a hard cheese, it can be replaced with cheese or Grano Padano.

It should be borne in mind that Pecorino cheese has a pronounced taste, therefore, the amount of any other cheese that you use instead of it should be increased by 2-3 times.

Real Italian cheese is the product that every self-respecting gourmet should try. Prepared according to special technologies, with a soul, it contains a whole list of flavors. They say that one piece of cheese is enough to fall in love with Italy once and for all.

The most famous cheese of the Mediterranean state is Pecorino. In the regions, this product may look different: somewhere it is made very hard, and somewhere it is brought closer to almost melted species. But at the same time, any inhabitant of Italy, even blindfolded, unmistakably recognizes his favorite taste from hundreds of others. So what's the secret?

Pecorino - what is it?

This cheese, like all the others, is made from animal milk. True, this is not about a cow. If we take into account the origin of the word, then it immediately becomes clear what is the striking difference between this product. "Pecora" is translated from Italian as "sheep". And if we take Latin as a basis, then in translation we have a generalized name for livestock. As a result, we get that under the name Pecorino a whole family of cheeses is united, mainly of hard varieties, which are made in Italy and for the manufacture of which only sheep's milk is taken.

Locals saturate cheeses with a variety of additives. It can be chili peppers, walnuts, arugula, or even truffle chips. A specific filling is put into Sicilian cheese - the larvae of cheese flies. The result is the so-called "rotten cheese", which is a real delicacy here.

By the way, pecorino cheeses can differ in their aging. The most mature product is known for hardness, but at the same time it has a crumbly granular structure and has a nutty aftertaste. Medium and low-aged cheeses are distinguished by their softness and the usual creamy aroma.

The cost of Pecorino cheeses is high everywhere. In Italy, for 1 kilogram, you will pay from 15 to 29 euros. At the same time, the cheese will have all factory stamps confirming its authenticity. This cheese is not delivered to Russian stores, except perhaps to elite shops. But you can try to purchase it through intermediaries - for 2000-3500 rubles. However, in this case, you will not know whether the real Pecorino is in front of you or not.

Composition and properties

Perhaps, Pecorino includes the most beneficial properties of cheeses. This is understandable, because sheep's milk itself is of great value for human health. Pecorino contains many useful amino acids and a whole list of vitamins: C, E, A, B and PP. In addition, this type of cheese contains calcium (about 77% of the daily value), potassium, sodium and phosphorus. Calcium is known to strengthen bone tissue and nerve fibers, and is also involved in muscle recovery and is responsible for good blood clotting. Potassium, in turn, is responsible for the stable functioning of the heart system.

The high protein content - 26 grams per 100 grams of the product - allows both children and adults to eat cheese every day. After all, protein is a necessary building material for our cells. It is worth noting that Pecorino, like most cheeses, is distinguished by a high percentage of fat - about 33 grams per 100 grams of product.But at the same time, according to research, the composition of fats is mainly linoleic acid. It helps reduce the likelihood of skin, breast and gastrointestinal cancers. With its help, it is much easier to lose weight. Therefore, connoisseurs classify Pecorino cheese as dietary. In addition, acid helps to strengthen the heart and blood vessels, improve immunity.

Varieties

A huge number of Pecorino varieties are known in the world, the most popular of them is Romano. For the first time, Americans learned about this variety, back in the 19th century. They presented this product to the public. Since then and to this day, it is the United States that has been the first major supplier of cheeses from Italy.

The production of Romano, as well as several centuries ago, is still concentrated in Sardinia. The story goes that the Sardinians emigrated to Tuscany, where they created the second Pecorino variety - Toscano. He is also popular, but less so. The next two varieties - Sardo and Siciliano - never gained mass popularity. However, in their homeland, Italians are happy to consume all of the above species.

It is worth noting that 4 more varieties have a patented name of origin: di Filiano, Crotonese, di Picinisco and delle Balze Volterran.

But what made Romano world famous?

To begin with, this is the only cheese that has a long history. Even Roman legionnaires received a slice of this product every day as a supplement to dinner. This hard cheese has a salty taste. Since it is convenient to grind it on a grater, Romano is most often used as an addition to main dishes.

Unfortunately, most of us have never tasted the real Pecorino Romano. The fact is that in large-scale industries, from where products come to store shelves, pasteurized milk is used to make cheeses. In Italy, heat treatment of milk and its pasteurization are prohibited. That is why real Romano can be tasted only in Italy.

From the history. Back in 1980, cheese makers in Sardinia and Lazio (Rome) asked to protect Romano from counterfeiting. For this, a Consortium was convened. The petition was granted. After 16 years, the product received the status of a product with a protected designation of origin (DOP). The production of cheese is subject to the strictest supervision to this day.

Recipe

By law, only craftsmen from Sardinia, Lazio and Tuscany can produce genuine Romano. By the way, the production here is not automated to this day, and valuable cheese blocks are made by hand, just like many years ago.

Romano is made from chilled fresh milk, which is heated to about 50-65 degrees for 15 seconds. After that, add fresh starter culture, just prepared, and rennet enzymes. All together are heated to 40 degrees and waiting for coagulation. The master breaks each resulting clot into small particles. When the chef decides that he can start cooking the product, the next stage of cooking begins. By the way, the cooking temperature should not exceed 50 degrees.

When the mass is freed from the separated whey, it is placed under a press. The next couple of days the cheese sours.

A new stage is the salting of heads. The ambassador takes place either through immersion in a solution, or in a standard way that is familiar to us. The process lasts a little more than two months and is necessarily carried out in damp and cool rooms.

After three months, the product is almost ready: it is sufficiently salted and dry. Cheese heads are stored in special chambers with a low temperature for another 7-9 months. Only after that can we say that Romano is “ripe”. The product tastes salty and spicy, has a characteristic white or slightly yellowish color and a dense structure.

Of course, you will need fresh sheep's milk, about 10 liters. Pharmacy starter culture based on thermophilic bacteria. Half a teaspoon of liquid enzyme. Saline solution on the tip of a teaspoon. And good olive oil.

Be sure to thoroughly wash all containers that will be useful to you during the preparation of the product, and sterilize the devices. Only after that we advise you to start the main process.

Heat the milk to 33 degrees, pour the sourdough on top and leave for five minutes without stirring! After this time, gently mix bacteria with milk. Do this slowly so that the liquid does not boil. All this time, the temperature should be kept at around 33 degrees.

Leave the mixture for 20 minutes. Do not forget about the temperature regime! At this time, dilute the enzyme with two tablespoons of water, add to the milk-bacterial solution and mix. Leave to infuse for another hour.

During this time, it is also important to maintain the correct temperature.

As a result, you should have a dense clot that needs to be cut into cubes no more than half a centimeter thick.

If an hour has passed, and the mass does not thicken, leave it for another 10 minutes, remembering to maintain a temperature of 33 degrees under the container.

The next step is to increase the temperature. You should end up with 46 degrees. You need to do this extremely slowly, stretching the pleasure for almost an hour. It is important to gently mix the granular mass all this time. Now cover the container - let the next half hour "fit".

Heat the cheese mold slightly. Drain the whey mass and tamp the future cheese into the mold as tightly as possible, shifting it with a cheese cloth. For the next half hour, the workpiece should lie under the press. After that, the fabric must be changed and sent again to the press, this time for an hour. Then repeat these procedures again and leave the cheese to lie for at least 12 hours.

The next day, you can start salting. We will do this with brine. The cheese should lie in it for about twenty hours. In this case, do not forget to turn your workpiece over when half of the allotted time has passed.

After a day, you should get the cheese out of the brine. Now it is important to dry it well at room temperature. This should be done for three or even four days, turning the cheese head once a day until the piece becomes dry. You can check this by simply touching it.

Now the last stage remains - exposure. Ideal cheese will turn out if it is placed in conditions of high humidity. It's about 86%. At the same time, the air temperature should not exceed 13 degrees. The product must be enriched with taste for 5 months.

Cheese makers say that the first two weeks of aging, the head must be turned over once a day. Over the next two months - every two. The rest of the time will be enough and once a week.

If mold appears on the cheese, it should be carefully removed with a cloth soaked in vinegar solution.

After three months, brush the cheese with olive oil so that the product does not dry out. Also, the oil will serve as an impetus for the development of a protective crust. It is necessary to grease cheese heads with butter about once a month, sometimes less often.

The ideal cheese, weighing 2 kilograms, will be obtained after two years of aging.Separately, it is worth touching on the topic of storing Pecorino Romano, since a cut head of cheese deteriorates faster than our usual products. Remember that the Italian product was infused in a damp room. To keep it as long as possible, you need to create similar conditions. To do this, wrap a piece in plastic, leaving the cheese crust to breathe, place it in a container and put it in the refrigerator.

What can be replaced?

In Italy, only Parmesan is considered a substitute for Pecorino. But this is a more expensive type of cheese, including in Russia. In the recipes, instead of Pecorino Romano, you can use feta cheese, naturally cooked with sheep's milk, or any hard cheese like Russian. But you need to remember that any replacement will affect the taste of the dish.

If we talk about Italy, then it is customary there to finish lunch and dinner with Pecorino cheeses. That is why it is eaten, for example, after pasta dishes.

The product is served with pears and nuts, sprinkled with honey sauce.

Also cheese combined with tomatoes and basil is a great snack. In Tuscany, for example, Pecorino with legumes is a traditional dish. And for dessert they like to serve cheese with fruits or berries. Pecorino with honey is also quoted here.

Now a little about the dishes to which we can add a product loved by Italians. As cheese lovers note, all Pecorino varieties have a pronounced smell inherent in sheep's milk. It is possible to drown out this aroma, unusual for many people, only by heat treatment. Therefore, Pecorino is sprinkled on main courses, added to pizza and used to make delicious hot sandwiches.

We, in turn, bring to your attention an unusual but simple recipe with the addition of Pecorino Romano.

Semolina gnocchi. If you have not been to Italy, then the name of the dish, as well as the recipe itself, will be new to you. To be clear, gnocchi are Italian dumplings.

Prepare the following products: a glass of semolina, 1 liter of milk, 70 grams of butter, eggs, or rather their yolks, 3 pcs; 100 grams of Romano cheese, salt and pepper to taste, olive oil. Nutmeg will add spicy notes.

Heat the milk in a small saucepan, salt and pepper it. Run semolina into the boiling mass, remembering to stir constantly. Cool the finished porridge, add the yolks, a pinch of nutmeg (if any), 1/2 butter and a quarter of chopped cheese.

Roll the dough into small balls and place them on a greased baking dish. We advise you to also drip oil on each future dumpling. Then press down on the balls with a spoon until they are about half a centimeter thick. Sprinkle these tortillas with cheese and grated butter.

Bake the dish in the oven at 180 degrees for five to seven minutes.

Kebab ketchup or tomato sauce will perfectly complement the meal.

Have you already wanted to taste aromatic and spicy cheese in Italy? We hope so. Because the Pecorino and especially the Romano variety deserve the highest praise. The benefits of this product are enormous. A few pieces will be enough for you to maintain immunity at altitude for the next month and recharge with new impressions.

See how Pecorino is made in the next video.

Pecorino is the name of a group of Italian hard cheeses made from the word. The word comes from the Italian "pecor", which means "sheep" (which, in turn, comes from the Latin pecus - "cattle").

Of the six main pecorino varieties, each with a PDO status under European Union law, Pecorino Romano is probably the best known outside of Italy. This product has been widely used in the international export market since the 19th century. The largest scale is produced on the island of Sardinia, although it is also produced in Lazio and in the Tuscan provinces of Grosseto and Siena. It should be noted that even ancient Roman authors wrote about this cheese and its manufacturing technology.

The other five mature cheeses on the PDO list are:

• "Pecorino Sardo" - available in two types. Soft ("Dolce") ripens in a period from 20 days to 2 months, mature ("Maturo") - over this period.
• "Pecorino Toscano", the production of which was mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his "Natural History". It is a soft cheese that takes 20 days to cook.
• The Sicilian pecorino ("Siciliano") is available in large heads. It is a hard variety that takes about five months to mature.
• "Pecorino di Filiano".
• "Pecorino Crotonesse".

What does pecorino cheese look like?

All varieties of the product can have varying degrees of maturity. More aged cheeses, called stagionato, are harder in consistency, but they also have a crumbly texture and a clear buttery flavor and nutty aromas. This product is aged for six months. The other two types - semi-aged and fresco - have a softer texture and a mild creamy or milky flavor. Their ripening period does not exceed 20 days.

Exotic species

In southern Italy, this product is traditionally produced both in its pure natural form, and with the addition of black or red chili. This cheese is called "Pecorino Perato" (Pecorino Pepato, literally - "peppery pecorino"). Today, the production of this product also allows other additions, such as walnuts or small pieces of black or There is a very unusual variety in the Sardinia region: cheese fly larvae are deliberately introduced into Pecorino Sardo to produce a local delicacy called Casu Marzu.

How is it eaten?

A high-quality solid pecorino, a photo of which is presented in the article, is usually used as an independent product. It is served with pears and walnuts, or sprinkled with fresh chestnut honey. In addition, this cheese is often used as an ingredient in pasta dishes, and is sometimes eaten in most Italian regions (from Umbria to Sicily) instead of the more expensive Parmesan cheese.

Italian pecorino cheese, the calorie content of which is about 419 kcal for every hundred grams of the product, has many useful substances in its composition. So, the content of calcium and phosphorus in it is very high, vitamins of groups B, A and E are also present. It is believed that it is very useful for strengthening immunity and maintaining good health.

How to distinguish pecorino from parmesan

In fact, it is easy to confuse these two similar in consistency and smell of cheese. However, they are still different, so their traditional culinary uses can be very different.

These cheeses are primarily made from various types of milk. Parmesan is made from cow's milk, while pecorino is made from sheep's milk.

There are texture and flavor differences between the two. Each comes with its own structure and maturity.

• Parmesan is a spicy flavored cheese with a slightly peppery aftertaste. It is usually available commercially in different stages of maturity, which affects its hardness, but its texture usually remains tough and grainy.
• Pecorino cheese is a spicy salty product with a rich "cheesy" flavor. As a rule, it is found on the market in a more mature and matured form. Pecorino is harder and denser in texture than Parmesan. However, there is also a soft version of it. If you buy fresh young Italian pecorino cheese, you will find that it is lighter in color and has a texture similar to that of brie. It also tastes less harsh and salty.

How to use it in cooking?

You can successfully take for the preparation of various dishes and pecorino cheese and parmesan. Both varieties are similar and therefore can be used interchangeably if you prefer one of them for some reason. Serving both types of food on the table can also be a good solution. Both types of cheese are great for preparing different compound dishes, so you can safely experiment with substitution. For example, classic Italian pasta can be cooked with any of them.