Sheep Milk Cheeses from Italy

Pecorino Romano is a hard, salty Italian cheese made only from sheep milk, most often grated over pasta. It began in the countryside around Rome and is now made almost entirely in Sardinia.

Casu marzu is a Sardinian sheep milk cheese fermented by live cheese fly larvae, which eat through a pecorino wheel and break down its fats until the paste turns very soft. Its sale is banned in Italy and the EU, …

Pecorino sardo is a firm sheep milk cheese from Sardinia, made with milk from the island's local Sarda sheep and curdled with calf's rennet. It comes in two versions: dolce, aged 20 to 60 days, and maturo, aged more than …

Pecorino is an Italian hard cheese made from sheep's milk, and its name comes from pecora, the Italian word for sheep. Six main varieties carry PDO status, with Pecorino Romano the best known outside Italy.

Pecorino toscano is a firm sheep's milk cheese from Tuscany that has held PDO status since 1996. It is the third most produced sheep's milk cheese in Italy, behind pecorino romano and pecorino sardo.

Pecorino siciliano is a firm sheep milk cheese from Sicily. It goes back to the classical Greek world, when it was counted among the best cheeses anywhere, and it holds European PDO status today.

Maiorchino is a hard sheep's milk cheese from the province of Messina in Sicily, sold in wheels of about 10 to 12 kg (22 to 26 lb). It is a listed Italian traditional food, known for a delicate flavor that …

Pecorino al Tartufo is an Italian cheese made from pasteurized sheep's milk. Known for its hard, artisan texture, this cheese offers a sharp, spicy flavor that pairs well with the earthy richness of truffles. The aroma is a mix of …

Piacentinu Ennese is a protected designation of origin sheep's milk cheese from the Enna area of Sicily. Saffron grown in the same area colors the paste yellow, and whole black peppercorns are worked into the curd.

Ricotta Romana is a PDO-protected ricotta from the Lazio region, made from sheep's milk. It has a grainier texture and a richer, slightly saltier flavor compared to other ricottas, which makes it a favorite for adding depth to traditional Roman …

Fiore Sardo is a hard sheep's milk cheese from Sardinia, made with raw milk and lamb's rennet. Light smoking and months of cellar aging give it a smoky aroma and a sharp, herbaceous flavor that works grated or sliced.

Ricotta di Pecora is a fresh sheep whey cheese from Sicily, Sardinia, Campania, Lazio and other parts of southern Italy. It is on Sicily's list of traditional agri-food products and shows up constantly in Sicilian sweets.

Pecorino di Picinisco is produced in the Lazio and Abruzzo regions of Italy. This cheese is made from the milk of sheep that graze on the rich, diverse pastures of the area, giving it a distinctive, aromatic flavor. It has …

Pepato is a semi-hard Sicilian sheep milk cheese studded with whole peppercorns. It is sold young at about 10 days or aged two to four months, and it turns up throughout Sicilian home cooking.

Murazzano is a PDO cheese from the Alta Langa hills in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont. It is made mostly from the milk of a native Langhe sheep breed, with up to 40 percent cow's milk, and can be eaten …

Pecorino del Monte Poro is a type of cheese from Italy, specifically from the Monte Poro district in the Vibo Valentia province. It is made from raw whole sheep's milk and comes in three types based on the maturing period: …

Casciotta d'Urbino is a caciotta cheese from the province of Pesaro and Urbino in Italy's Marche region. It mixes 70 to 80 percent sheep's milk with 20 to 30 percent cow's milk.

Crotonese, also known as Pecorino Crotonese, is a semi-hard cheese made from pasteurized sheep's milk in the region of Crotone, Italy. This artisan cheese presents a pale yellow color and features a natural rind. It offers a strong, salty, and …

Formaggio di fossa is an Italian pit cheese from Sogliano al Rubicone in Emilia-Romagna, made from sheep's, cow's or mixed milk. It is buried in bags inside tufa pits for 80 to 100 days, which gives it a sharp, herbaceous …

Pecorino Crotonese is an Italian sheep's milk cheese and one of the pecorino varieties registered with the EU as a protected designation of origin. Pecorino is the family name for Italy's sheep's milk cheeses, and every region makes its own.