We probably don't have to convince you how brilliant cheese is, no matter whether you're grating it over pasta or eating it alone. But when a cheese is made through a long-standing dairy culture and from an unspoiled landscape, it becomes something extraordinary – not to mention extraordinarily delicious.
That's exactly the case with Pecorino Romano PDO, Pecorino Sardo PDO and Fiore Sardo PDO, three cheeses made with 100% sheep's milk from animals raised freely in specific regions: mainly Sardinia, but in the case of Pecorino Romano, also Lazio and Tuscany's Grosseto province. In these areas, the shepherds still follow ancient traditions that imbue these cheeses with not only flavour, but a sense of place.
It makes sense, then, that the three Pecorini received the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) label in 1996, certifying that they're authentic, quality heritage food products. But while all three cheeses are 'pecorini', which means they're made with sheep's milk, each of them has their own history and unique flavour.
Pecorino Romano PDO is a hard cheese made with 100% fresh full-fat sheep's milk. It's believed that the cheese was born centuries ago in the region around Rome – hence the name. It's still made in a similar way today (with modern upgrades), but production mostly happens in Sardinia, where the milk comes straight from the source. The taste is aromatic and slightly sharp when eaten on its own, but it retains this sharpness when grated, making it ideal for salads and pastas.
What's more, Pecorino Romano PDO is naturally lactose-free*, and can be safely eaten and enjoyed by those affected by lactose intolerance.
Pecorino Sardo PDO, however, has always been made in Sardinia, and is one of the island's oldest cheeses, dating back to when the island was more focused on sheep rearing than agriculture. It comes in two varieties: dolce, more aromatic and matured for 20-60 days, and the spicier maturo, which ages for at least two months.
The three Pecorini cheeses are made with 100% sheep’s milk, making them naturally flavourful and high in protein
Similarly, Fiore Sardo PDO has always been considered the hallmark cheese of Sardininan sheep farmers, and has been one of the island's defining agricultural products for centuries. The production process has remained almost unchanged since it began, and this unique cheese has notes of leather, spices and smoke. The name Fiore Sardo is said to derive from the fact that, in ancient times, the flower of the cardoon was actually employed as natural rennet, or from the use of wooden stamps molded with an engraved flower on the disk that until recently served to distinguish and decorate the cheese.
The three Pecorini cheeses made with 100% whole sheep's milk, which means they differ slightly from those made with cow's milk. Although both types of milk are similar in terms of lactose percentage, sheep's milk contains a higher quality and quantity of fats and proteins. This milk, thanks to the pasture-raised animals, contains nutritious vitamin A, which lends the milk a porcelain white colour. The results is that cheeses made with Sarda sheep's milk are rich in protein.
The flavour and craft involved in these pecorino cheeses have been appreciated for hundreds of years, making them historic cheeses for modern times – not to mention undeniably delicious.
