Pecorino
Ovis aries · Cheese
Top 10 pairings
A family of hard Italian cheeses made from sheep's milk; the name comes from pecora, Italian for ewe. Salty, sharp and tangy, with a nutty bite that deepens with age, it is melted into cacio e pepe and grated over carbonara.
Picking a good onedrag
Clean cut, true to its ageSweating, cracked, rancid
Wrapped wedgeEveryday bestPregnant, over 65 or low immunity? Eat unpasteurised pecorino, like PDO Romano, only steaming hot.
The cut faceTrue colour, face duller, drier
Paste under a thumbStiffer edge, centre unchanged
The rindDull or scuffed, paste still tight
Smell at the cutTrue to age, a bit flat at the wrap