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Sheep milk cheese is a cheese prepared from sheep milk. Well-known cheeses made from sheep milk include the feta of Greece, Roquefort of France, manchego from Spain, the pecorino romano and ricotta of Italy. [1] [2] Yogurts, especially some forms of strained yogurt, may also be made from sheep milk.
Sheep have only two teats, [3] and produce a far smaller volume of milk than cows.[ citation needed ] However, as sheep's milk contains far more fat, solids, and minerals than cow's milk, it is ideal for the cheese-making process. It also resists contamination during cooling better because of its much higher calcium content. [4] [ citation needed ] Sheep milk contains 4.8% lactose, more lactose than cow milk, [5] and is therefore not an alternative for people who are lactose intolerant.
Though sheep's milk may be drunk in fresh form, [6] today it is used predominantly in cheese and yogurt making. Well-known cheeses made from sheep milk include the Feta of Bulgaria and Greece, Roquefort of France, Manchego from Spain, the Pecorino Romano (the Italian word for sheep is pecore) and Ricotta of Italy. Yogurts, especially some forms of strained yogurt, may also be made from sheep milk. [7] Many of these products are now often made with cow's milk, especially when produced outside their country of origin. For the cheese to fully ripen takes at least two weeks; it can take between two and three months, and even up to two years.
French sheep milk cheeses include Abbaye de Bellocq, [8] Brique, Berger de Rocastin, [9] Brebicet, [10] Le Claousou, [11] Lévejac, Valdeblore, Roquefort, Ardi-gasna, Agour, Ossau-Iraty, Brocciu, [12] Asco, Brin d'amour, [13] Faisselle, [14] Fleur de Maquis, [15] A filetta, [16] and Niolo.
Greek sheep milk cheeses include Feta and Kefalotyri.
Italian sheep milk cheeses include Pecorino Romano, Pecorino Sardo, Pecorino Siciliano, Pecorino Toscano [17] and Ricotta.
Croatian sheep milk cheeses include Pag cheese and Ovidur.
Polish sheep milk cheeses include oscypek and bryndza.
Portuguese sheep milk cheeses include Castelo Branco, Azeitão, Rabaçal, Saloio, Serpa and Serra.
Among the very many cheese varieties in Spain made from sheep's milk and protected by the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) there is Roncal, [18] made in the Roncal Valley; Idiazabal cheese, made in both Basque Country and Navarre regions from Latxa and Carranzana sheep's milk; Torta del Casar, made in Extremadura region from Merino sheep's milk; Manchego cheese, made in La Mancha region from Manchega sheep's milk.
Hungary produces Parenyica, a sheep's milk cheese described as lightly smoked rolled cheese usually made from ewe's milk, but also from cows milk; surrounded by an edible cheese twine. [19]
In the Northern region of Hungary another ewes milk cheese, Gomolya is made and it is allowed to ripen outside in the sun for 3 weeks while slung in cheesecloth under an open-roofed shelter. It will develop a stronger flavour when allowed to mature on wooden boards. [19] p218.
Danish sheep milk cheeses includes Mønsk Mangcego and salad cheeses and white cheeses.
Ukrainian sheep milk cheeses includes bryndza and feta, salad cheeses and white cheeses.
Feta is a Greek brined white cheese made from sheep's milk or from a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. It is soft, with small or no holes, a compact touch, few cuts, and no skin. Crumbly with a slightly grainy texture, it is formed into large blocks and aged in brine. Its flavor is tangy and salty, ranging from mild to sharp. Feta is used as a table cheese, in salads such as Greek salad, and in pastries, notably the phyllo-based Greek dishes spanakopita "spinach pie" and tyropita "cheese pie". It is often served with olive oil or olives, and sprinkled with aromatic herbs such as oregano. It can also be served cooked, as part of a sandwich, in omelettes, and many other dishes.
Goat cheese, goat's cheese or chèvre is cheese made from goat's milk. Goats were among the first animals to be domesticated for producing food. Goat cheese is made around the world with a variety of recipes, giving many different styles of cheeses, from fresh and soft to aged and hard.
Ricotta is an Italian whey cheese made from sheep, cow, goat, or Italian water buffalo milk whey left over from the production of other cheeses. Like other whey cheeses, it is made by coagulating the proteins that remain after the casein has been used to make cheese, notably albumin and globulin.
Bryndza or brynza is a sheep milk cheese made across much of East-Central Europe, including in Ukraine and Slovakia. Bryndza cheese is creamy white in appearance, known for its characteristic strong smell and taste. The cheese is white, tangy, crumbly and slightly moist. It has characteristic odor and flavor with a notable taste of butyric acid. The overall flavor sensation begins slightly mild, then goes strong and finally fades to a salty finish. Recipes differ slightly across countries.
Romano cheese is a term used in the United States and Canada for a class of hard, salty cheese suitable primarily for grating similar to pecorino romano, from which the name is derived. In spite of the name, it should not be confused with genuine pecorino romano which is an Italian product recognized and protected by the laws of the European Union, though United States law allows Romano produced entirely from sheep's milk to be called "pecorino romano".
Sirene also known as "white brine sirene" is a type of brined cheese originating from the Balkans. It is made of the milk of goats, sheep, cows, buffalo or a mixture thereof. It is slightly crumbly, with at least 46–48% of dry matter containing 44–48% of fat. It is commonly produced in blocks, and has a slightly grainy texture. It is used as a table cheese, in salads, and in baking.
Bundz - also known as bunc(Podhale dialect) and budz is Polish and Ukrainian and Goral sheep milk cheese. It is traditionally produced in Polish mountains - Bieszczady, in Podhale and Ukraine.
Brocciu is a Corsican cheese produced from a combination of milk and whey, giving it some of the characteristics of whey cheese. It is produced from ewe's milk. It is notable as a substitute for lactose-rich Italian Ricotta, as brocciu contains less lactose.
Strained yogurt, Greek yogurt, yogurt cheese, sack yogurt or kerned yogurt is yogurt that has been strained to remove most of its whey, resulting in a thicker consistency than normal unstrained yogurt, while still preserving the distinctive sour taste of yogurt. Like many types, strained yogurt is often made from milk enriched by boiling off some water content, or by adding extra butterfat and powdered milk. In Europe and North America, it is often made from low-fat or fat-free cow's milk. In Iceland, a similar product named skyr is made.
Sheep's milk is the milk of domestic sheep. It is commonly used to make cultured dairy products, such as cheese. Some of the most popular sheep cheeses include feta (Greece), ricotta (Italy), and Roquefort (France).
There are many different types of cheese. Cheeses can be grouped or classified according to criteria such as length of fermentation, texture, methods of production, fat content, animal milk, and country or region of origin. The method most commonly and traditionally used is based on moisture content, which is then further narrowed down by fat content and curing or ripening methods. The criteria may either be used singly or in combination, with no single method being universally used.
Cheeses in Mexico have a history that begins with the Spanish conquest, as dairy products were unknown in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The Spanish brought dairy animals, such as cattle, sheep, and goats, as well as cheesemaking techniques. Over the colonial period, cheesemaking was modified to suit the mixed European and indigenous tastes of the inhabitants of New Spain, varying by region. This blending and variations have given rise to a number of varieties of Mexican cheeses. These are most popular in the country, although European cheeses are made, as well. Almost all cheese in Mexico is made with cows’ milk, with some made from goats’ milk. More recently, efforts have been made to promote sheep's milk cheeses. Most cheeses are made with raw (unpasteurized) milk. Cheeses are made in the home, on small farms or ranches, and by major dairy product firms. Between 20 and 40 different varieties of cheese are made in Mexico, depending on how one classifies them. Some, such as Oaxaca and panela, are made all over Mexico, but many are regional cheeses known only in certain sections on the country. Some of the least common are in danger of extinction.
Whey cheese is a dairy product made of whey, the by-product of cheesemaking. After the production of most cheeses, about 50% of milk solids remain in the whey, including most of the lactose and lactalbumin. The production of whey cheese allows cheesemakers to use the remaining whey, instead of discarding it as a waste product.
Faisselle is a non-protected French cheese made of raw milk from cows, goats, or sheep. The name comes from the mold in which the cheese is strained: faisselle.
