Pecorino Sardo PDO cheese

In Sardinia, pecorino is not just any cheese: it is the milk of our sheep, the work of shepherds and cheesemakers, the taste of home. Among the many cheeses made on the island, Pecorino Sardo PDO has two personalities: dolce (mild), fresh and delicate, to eat in slices; and maturo (aged), bold and aromatic, at its best with a good red wine or grated over pasta.

History and meaning

Sheep farming in Sardinia goes back to the Nuragic age. The first precise records of the island’s cheeses date to the late 18th century, which mention “white”, “fine red” and “smoked” cheeses – considered the ancestors of today’s Pecorino Sardo. Between the late 1800s and early 1900s, cheesemaking modernised with thermometers, milk filtering, liquid rennet, lactic starters and the semi-cooking of the curd. The result was a more consistent pecorino, distinct from both the shepherds’ Fiore Sardo and Pecorino Romano, yet deeply tied to Sardinian pastures.

How it is made: dolce and maturo

Pecorino Sardo is made from whole sheep’s milk from Sardinia, which may be thermised or pasteurised. The milk is curdled with calf rennet at about 35-39 °C; the curd is cut to the size of a hazelnut (dolce) or a grain of corn (maturo), semi-cooked, moulded into cylinders, pressed and salted.

• Dolce: aged 20 to 60 days, wheels of about 1-2.3 kg, thin pale rind, white, soft and elastic paste with a delicate, slightly tangy flavour.
• Maturo: aged over two months, wheels of about 1.7-4 kg, thicker brown rind, firm straw-coloured paste, intense and pleasantly sharp. Natural smoking is also permitted.

A PDO cheese

Pecorino Sardo received its designation of origin in 1991 and became an EU PDO in 1996 (Regulation EC 1263/1996). The production area is all of Sardinia. The island has three PDO cheeses: Pecorino Sardo, Fiore Sardo and Pecorino Romano, of which Sardinia is the main producer.

How to eat it and pairings

• Dolce with pane carasau and a glass of Vermentino di Sardegna, Vermentino di Gallura or Monica di Sardegna;
• Maturo in shavings with Cannonau di Sardegna, Mandrolisai or Carignano del Sulcis;
• with bitter strawberry-tree honey, walnuts, figs or jams;
• grated over malloreddus, fregula and soups.

Where to taste it

Pecorino Sardo PDO is made all over the island, from large dairies in the great pastoral areas to small village cooperatives. You will find it in shops, markets, agriturismi and trattorias from north to south. Many farms and dairies welcome visitors to see how the milk is worked and to taste the cheese – ideally side by side with Fiore Sardo and Pecorino Romano. Always ask to try both dolce and maturo: they feel like two different cheeses.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Pecorino Sardo and Fiore Sardo?

Pecorino Sardo is semi-cooked, uses calf rennet and milk that may be heat-treated. Fiore Sardo is made from raw milk with lamb or kid rennet, without cooking the curd, and has a distinctive bulging shape.

How long is Pecorino Sardo aged?

Dolce for 20 to 60 days, maturo for more than two months. The longer it ages, the firmer and more flavourful it becomes.

Can it be frozen?

The production rules forbid freezing the wheels. At home, keep it in the fridge wrapped in food paper and eat it within a few days of cutting.