Many American consumers use the term "pecorino" as shorthand for the dry, sharp, salty grating cheese that competes with Parmigiano-Reggiano as a pasta topping.
But Italy's pecorinos are far more varied than that. They're made at creameries from the north to the south and matured anywhere from a few weeks to years. They can be mild and milky, or biting and peppery, as supple as mozzarella or as hard as rocks. The only unifying feature is the use of sheep's milk.
Pecorino di Rocca, from Tuscany, is new to the Bay Area, and has completely won me over. The importer, Fresca Italia, found it at the Slow Food festival in Italy last fall. The producer is Canti, a 50-year-old family-owned firm that makes pecorino in several styles.
Tuscan pecorinos tend to be sweeter, nuttier and more approachable than the piquant pecorinos from the southern Italy mainland, Sicily and Sardinia. Sheep breeds, cultures, coagulants, cooking temperatures, salting methods, aging temperatures and times – all can influence flavor and the overall nature of the cheese.
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