Pecorino Toscano
Encyclopedia
Pecorino Toscano is a firm-textured ewe’s milk
cheese produced in Tuscany
. Since 1996 it has enjoyed protected designation of origin
(PDO) status.
, in his major encyclopædic work Naturalis Historia, describes several stages in the production of pecorino Toscano, which he names as Lunense, apparently after the territory of Lunigiana
(today western Tuscany).
Traditionally, production began in the month of March, and this is believed to be the reason it appears as Cacio Marzolino in a memoir on Tuscan cheeses written towards the end of the seventeenth century by Francesco Molinelli.
Today, this style of pecorino is widely produced across Tuscany and also in several nearer districts of Umbria
and Lazio.
The cheese is ready to be eaten after a maturation period of just twenty days. However, it is generally regarded as a hard cheese, frequently used for grating, and to achieve this characteristic hard texture, the cheese should be left alone for at least four months.
The cheese usually takes the form of a semi-flattened sphere, typically with a diameter between 15 and 22 cm and a height between 7 and 11 cm. The weight will normally be between 0.75 and 3.50 kg. The outer rind is yellow coloured, but there is considerable variability according to how the outside of the cheese has been washed during maturation (generally with a combination involving crushed tomato, ash and/or olive oil).
. As the cheese matures and the flavour strengthens, it can be eaten with honey
or jam, as well as with fresh vegetables or fruits (especially pears and figs
). Well matured pecorino Toscano is widely used across Italy as an alternative to parmesan for grating over a wide range of dishes, especially pasta
s or soup
s.
Sheep milk
Sheep's milk is the milk of domestic sheep. Though not widely drunk in any modern culture, sheep's milk is commonly used to make cultured dairy products. Well-known cheeses made from sheep milk include the Feta of Greece, Roquefort of France, Manchego from Spain, the Pecorino Romano , the Pecorino...
cheese produced in Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
. Since 1996 it has enjoyed protected designation of origin
Protected Geographical Status
Protected Geographical Status is a legal framework defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. Protected Designation of Origin , Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed are distinct regimes of geographical indications within the framework...
(PDO) status.
Ancient origins and current regional distribution
Pliny the ElderPliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
, in his major encyclopædic work Naturalis Historia, describes several stages in the production of pecorino Toscano, which he names as Lunense, apparently after the territory of Lunigiana
Lunigiana
The Lunigiana is an historical territory of Italy, which today falls within the provinces of La Spezia and Massa Carrara. Its borders derive from the ancient Roman settlement, later the medieval diocese of Luni, which no longer exists....
(today western Tuscany).
Traditionally, production began in the month of March, and this is believed to be the reason it appears as Cacio Marzolino in a memoir on Tuscan cheeses written towards the end of the seventeenth century by Francesco Molinelli.
Today, this style of pecorino is widely produced across Tuscany and also in several nearer districts of Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
and Lazio.
The cheese
The cheese is prepared with full cream, pasteurized ewe's milk, often by farm-based cheese producers.The cheese is ready to be eaten after a maturation period of just twenty days. However, it is generally regarded as a hard cheese, frequently used for grating, and to achieve this characteristic hard texture, the cheese should be left alone for at least four months.
The cheese usually takes the form of a semi-flattened sphere, typically with a diameter between 15 and 22 cm and a height between 7 and 11 cm. The weight will normally be between 0.75 and 3.50 kg. The outer rind is yellow coloured, but there is considerable variability according to how the outside of the cheese has been washed during maturation (generally with a combination involving crushed tomato, ash and/or olive oil).
Its uses
There is a wide range of uses for the cheese, which varies according to local traditions and the season. The delicate flavour of a young pecorino Toscano can provide an excellent complement to salad-based startersCrudités
Crudités are traditional French appetizers comprising sliced or whole raw vegetables which are sometimes dipped in a vinaigrette or another dipping sauce...
. As the cheese matures and the flavour strengthens, it can be eaten with honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
or jam, as well as with fresh vegetables or fruits (especially pears and figs
FIGS
FIGS is an acronym for French, Italian, German, Spanish. These are usually the first four languages chosen to localize products into when a company enters the European market....
). Well matured pecorino Toscano is widely used across Italy as an alternative to parmesan for grating over a wide range of dishes, especially pasta
Pasta
Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, now of worldwide renown. It takes the form of unleavened dough, made in Italy, mostly of durum wheat , water and sometimes eggs. Pasta comes in a variety of different shapes that serve for both decoration and to act as a carrier for the...
s or soup
Soup
Soup is a generally warm food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water, or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth.Traditionally,...
s.