Frederic Melton
Pecorino is a versatile Italian cheese made from sheep's milk. Depending on the region of origin and length of aging, pecorino cheeses can be nutty, salty, sharp, sweet, or milky. Pecorino Romano is the most well-known variety, but there are six main varieties produced in different provinces. Pecorino is often used for grating over pasta, soup, vegetables, or meatballs, and it can also be sliced or wedged and enjoyed with bread, crackers, nuts, or deli meat. It is a key ingredient in the Roman pasta dish cacio e pepe, where it is combined with black pepper and tossed with spaghetti.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese type | Hard, dry, aged |
| Flavor | Salty, nutty, sharp, sweet, milky |
| Texture | Firm, rich, creamy |
| Melting point | High |
| Lactose content | Low |
| Use cases | Grating, sprinkling, melting, table cheese |
| Pairs well with | Pasta, pizza, bread, crackers, nuts, deli meat, charcuterie, fruit, honey, wine |
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What You'll Learn
Grate over pasta
Pecorino Romano is an ideal grating cheese—rich and firm, yet meltable. It is a versatile Italian cheese with a variety of textures and flavours, depending on where it's made and how long it's been aged. The longer it's aged, the firmer, crumblier, saltier and stronger in flavour it becomes.
Pecorino Romano is a great cheese to grate over pasta. It is traditionally used in the Roman pasta dish, cacio e pepe, which combines pasta, black pepper and pecorino Romano. To make this dish, cook spaghetti and drain. Toss with olive oil, butter, black pepper and grated pecorino Romano cheese. You can also add a little extra black pepper and olive oil. It's important to get the temperature right to avoid clumping.
Pecorino Romano can also be grated over un-sauced pasta. It is a saltier and stronger cheese than Parmesan, so it's recommended to use half the amount or less when substituting.
Pecorino Toscano is another variety of pecorino that can be grated over pasta. It has a firm texture and a subtly nutty flavour that is less salty than Romano.
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Eat with bread
Pecorino is an Italian cheese made from sheep's milk, with a colour that ranges from white to pale yellow. Its texture is creamy and slightly crumbly, and its flavour ranges from sharp and salty to mild and milky. It is a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed in many ways, including with bread.
One way to enjoy pecorino with bread is to cut it into wedges and serve it with fresh sourdough bread. This simple way of serving pecorino allows you to enjoy the cheese by the slice. You can also shave pecorino over warm, toasted buttered rye bread.
Pecorino Romano, a variety of pecorino that is aged for about eight to twelve months, is a hard cheese that is excellent for grating. It can be served with rustic bread and red wine. It can also be used to make a whipped pecorino dip, which can be served with lemony garlic bread. To make the dip, combine Greek yoghurt and Pecorino Romano in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Then, add olive oil and blend until completely creamy. Season with salt to taste. Slice bread into 2-inch pieces on a diagonal and place on a baking sheet. In a small saucepan, warm olive oil over medium-low heat, add butter and garlic, and cook until fragrant. Drizzle the garlic butter over the bread and broil until golden and crisp. Spoon the whipped pecorino dip into a shallow bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Top with crumbled cheese and serve with the garlic bread for dipping.
You can also bake homemade pecorino romano cheese bread. To make this, mix flour, salt, yeast, black pepper, aged pecorino, and warm filtered water. Let the mixture proof for 18 to 24 hours. Transfer the risen dough to a floured surface and fold it into a ball. Place the dough on a towel, seam side down, and let it proof for another 2 hours. Preheat a Dutch oven to 230˚C. Place the dough in the hot pot, seam side up, and bake with the lid on for 30 minutes. Then, remove the lid and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes. This will create a dark, crusty loaf.
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Melt into sauces
Pecorino Romano is a hard, dry, and crumbly aged sheep's milk cheese with a high melting point. It has a distinct salty flavour and is perfect for grating.
When melted into sauces, the cheese tends to clump and separate into stringy bits. This is because when heated, the proteins in the cheese, with the help of calcium, tend to stick to each other in long, tangled chains. To prevent this, the cheese should be heated slowly and gently.
- Grate the cheese finely. The smaller the grate, the more evenly the cheese will melt.
- Use a two-pan method: cook the pasta in one pan and build the sauce in a second pan. This allows for better control of the heat, preventing the cheese from breaking.
- Use starchy pasta water to help melt the cheese and create a creamy, emulsified sauce. The starch coats the proteins and fats in the cheese, preventing them from clumping together.
- Add cornstarch to the sauce to help stabilize it and prevent it from breaking.
- Use a small amount of butter or cream to help the cheese melt smoothly, although this may dilute the flavour of the cheese.
- Start by sautéing some garlic and onion.
- Add chicken broth and heavy cream, then slowly whisk to combine.
- Increase the heat slightly and slowly add in the grated Pecorino Romano cheese, whisking constantly until the cheese is almost completely melted.
- Season with salt, pepper, basil, and oregano to taste.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a little regular milk to thin it out.
This sauce can be served over chicken, pasta, rice, vegetables, or potatoes. It is creamy, salty, and cheesy, with a surprisingly light texture.
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Sprinkle on salads
Pecorino Romano cheese is a strong-flavoured, salty, flakey, dense, and grainy cheese made from 100% sheep's milk. It is a great addition to salads, especially when paired with bitter greens.
One such salad is a radicchio and pecorino Romano salad. The bitter radicchio leaves and salty cheese are balanced by a mildly sweet garlicky dressing. To make this salad, preheat your oven to 300º and place some walnuts on a baking sheet to toast for about 10 minutes. Remove the walnuts from the oven and let them cool. Peel the leaves off the head of radicchio, tearing them in half if they are too large, and place them in a large salad bowl. For the dressing, mix the first four ingredients together in a small bowl, then whisk in the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Once the walnuts have cooled, add them to the salad, along with the cheese. Pour half of the dressing onto the salad and toss. Taste a leaf to check if it needs more dressing, and finish the salad with a little more shredded cheese.
Another salad idea is an arugula salad with lemon and pecorino Romano. To make this salad, place a pile of arugula greens on a plate and top with shaved pecorino cheese. You can shave the cheese with a peeler. Season with freshly ground black pepper. For the dressing, use a combination of lemon juice and olive oil. This salad is best enjoyed fresh but can be refrigerated and enjoyed within 24 hours.
You can also make a spring salad with pecorino Romano, apples, and pecans. Simply toss some greens with apple slices and pecans, then top with shaved pecorino cheese.
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Enjoy as a table cheese
Pecorino is a versatile Italian cheese with a rich, buttery texture and a nuanced flavour profile that can range from salty and sharp to sweet and milky. It is traditionally enjoyed on its own, and its complex taste lends dynamism to a glass of red wine and a dish of olives, charcuterie, and fresh melon. In Italy, mature pecorino is often served as the grand finale of a meal, accompanied by fresh fruit, nuts, and honey.
Pecorino Toscano, which originates from Tuscany, has a firm texture and a subtly nutty flavour that is less salty than other varieties. It is matured for at least 20 days and is a popular table cheese. The longer it is matured, the harder it becomes, making it excellent for grating over pasta and risotto.
Pecorino Romano, the most well-known variety of pecorino, is typically aged for about eight to twelve months, resulting in a harder cheese that is ideal for grating. When aged for three to five months, Pecorino Romano is best used as a table cheese, enjoyed in slices or wedges with bread, crackers, nuts, and sliced deli meat. It can also be added to a charcuterie board.
The high melting point of pecorino cheese makes it perfect for grating over various dishes. It can be grated on pizza or added to a Carbonara dish. It can also be crumbled onto salads or used as a topping for meatballs.
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Frequently asked questions
Pecorino is an Italian cheese made from sheep's milk. It is one of the oldest Italian cheeses, with a rich, buttery texture and a variety of flavours, from salty and sharp to sweet and milky.
Pecorino is made by warming sheep's milk to 40°C (104° F), then stirring in whey. The mixture is then aged for at least 20 days and up to two years.
Pecorino is a very versatile cheese. It is ideal for grating over pasta, soup, vegetables, or meatballs. It can also be sliced and enjoyed with bread, crackers, nuts, or deli meat, or added to a charcuterie board. It is also traditionally enjoyed on its own, sometimes served with fresh fruit, nuts, and honey.
Unlike Parmesan, which is made from cow's milk, Pecorino is made from sheep's milk, giving it a higher fat content. Pecorino also has a higher melting point than Parmesan, making it ideal for grating.
