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Pecorino romano (Italian:[pekoˈriːnoroˈmaːno]; lit.'Roman pecorino') is a hard, salty Italiancheese made from sheep milk, often used for grating over pasta or other dishes. The name pecorino means 'ovine' or 'of sheep' in Italian; the name of the cheese, although protected, is a description rather than a brand: [formaggio] pecorino romano means 'sheep's [cheese] of Rome'.
Pecorino romano was a staple in the diet of the legionaries of ancient Rome. Today, it is still made according to the original recipe and is one of Italy's oldest cheeses. On the first of May (May Day), Roman families traditionally eat pecorino with fresh fava beans during an excursion in the Roman Campagna. It is mostly used in central and southern Italy.
As of 2024[update], it is the fourth most exported Italian cheese, with 22,000 tons exported overseas annually.[3]
History
What might be considered the earliest form of today's pecorino romano was first created in the countryside around Rome, whose production methods are described in detail by Latin authors such as Marcus Terentius Varro and Pliny the Elder about 2,000 years ago.[2] Its long-term storage capacity led to it being used for feeding Roman legions. A daily ration of about 27 grams (1 Roman ounce) was allotted to the legionaries in addition to bread and farro soup. The cheese revived strength and vigour since it was a high-energy food that was easy to digest.[4]
Pecorino romano was mainly produced in the region surrounding Rome (Lazio) until the end of the 19th century. In 1884, the Roman city council prohibited salting the cheese in the grocers' shops in Rome, but this could not prevent the establishment of salting premises and cheesemaking premises on the outskirts of Rome or elsewhere in the province. Pressure to move production out of Lazio was in fact caused by a great increase in demand for the cheese, which the Lazio flocks could not satisfy. This led several producers to expand their production in Sardinia.[4][5] Sardinia, which had been experiencing a severe reduction of its forest cover as a direct result of human activity, provided Roman entrepreneurs with a type of soil that was ideal for the promotion of monoculture farming.[6][7]
Following the 1951 Stresa Convention[fr], which was convened by several European states to address the question of counterfeiting and imitation of traditional food products, and the awarding in 1955 of the first controlled designation of origin (DOC) statuses in the dairy sector, pecorino cheese production was formally protected in Sardinia, Lazio, and Grosseto.[8]
In 1979, the Consortium for the Protection of Pecorino Romano Cheese was established with headquarters in Macomer, a comune (municipality) with several established cheese factories.[9] In 1981 the Consortium was tasked by the Ministry of Agriculture to supervise the production and trade of pecorino romano,[10] and in 2002 to protect its PDO status.[11]
The Consortium's Production Regulations have been extensively modified in recent decades, allowing in 1995 the alternative of a brine salting method instead of the traditional dry salting method. In addition, the maturation period is now allowed to be as low as 5 months, and the size of the wheel can be made larger to match Roman tradition.[citation needed]
Production
Pecorino romano is a hard, cooked cheese produced exclusively from sheep milk. The milk is coagulated using rennet at a temperature between 38–40°C (100–104°F). Once the curd has hardened, it is broken into smaller curds the size of a grain of rice and cooked at a temperature no higher than 48°C (118°F).[12]Pecorino romano must be made with rennet from sheep raised in the same production area, and is consequently not suitable for vegetarians.[12]
The wheels are cylindrical with flat faces, with a height of 25-40 cm and a diameter of 25-35 cm, and weigh 20–35kg (44–77lb). They have a thin ivory-coloured rind which is sometimes covered with substances for food protection. They are stamped with the logo of geographical distinction and an indication of the province of origin.[13]
40% of produced pecorino romano is consumed domestically. More than half of international exports are destined for the United States.[14]
Consumption
Pecorino romano is often used on pasta dishes, as is Parmesan. Its distinctive flavour led to it being preferred for some Italian pasta dishes such as bucatini all'amatriciana, spaghetti alla carbonara, pasta alla gricia,[15] and spaghetti alla cacio e pepe (of which it is a main ingredient). The cheese's sharpness is affected by its maturation, which varies from five months for a table cheese to eight months or longer for a grating cheese. Most pecorino cheeses are classified as grana and are granular, hard, and sharply flavoured.[16]
↑ "IL FORMAGGIO DI SARDEGNA - Fiore Sardo Pecorino Sardo Pecorino Romano Canestrati Ricotta Formaggi Molli Formaggi di capra". Archived from the original on 20 February 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2007. La grande svolta del caseificio la si ha poco più tardi, in conseguenza di due fatti esterni alle cose sarde ma destinati a segnare profondamente la zootecnia ed il caseificio sardo. Nel 1884, il Sindaco di Roma vieta ai "Pizzicaroli" di salare il formaggio pecorino il "Romano" appunto, nei loro retrobottega. La cosa non fu da poco; i "Pizzicaroli" per un verso organizzano alla periferia della città le prime cantine di salagione, accanto alle qualisorgono poi i primi centri di caseificazione, ma per un altro verso resistono in giudizio contro l'ordinanza del Comune di Roma perdendo però la causa. Il formaggio Pecorino Romano in quegli anni conosce una grande espansione dei consumi, al punto che il latte delle greggi laziali non è in grado di soddisfarla. I "Pizzicaroli" sbarcano nell'isola per organizzare la produzione di quel Pecorino Romano che non riescono più a produrre in proprio. In questo e non in altro sta la spiegazione del fatto che il formaggio maggiormente prodotto in Sardegna si chiami Formaggio Pecorino Romano.
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