Pecorino

The name of this Italian cheese comes from pecora, the Italian word for sheep, and it is generally a fresh sheep’s-milk cheese, made all over Italy, with minor regional variations. Not many of these uncooked or semi-cooked artisanal cheeses are exported, the majority being sold and eaten locally. Fresh pecorino rarely weighs more than 1 kg and may be formed in balls, cylinders or the distinctive fist shapes. The flavour and character of the cheese varies from farm to farm, depending on pasture and time of year.