Pecorino Toscano D.O.P. Mature
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Pecorino Toscano D.O.P. — a Tuscan sheep's milk cheese with a history that predates Rome. Pecorino Toscano holds DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) status and is made exclusively in Tuscany and parts of neighbouring Umbria and Lazio, from the milk of sheep grazed on the mixed pastures and scrubland of the Tuscan hills. It exists in two forms under the DOP: fresco (young, minimum 20 days) and stagionato (mature, minimum 4 months). This is the mature version.
At four months and beyond, the paste is firm, straw-coloured and compact, with occasional small eyes. The rind is natural and golden. The flavour is where Pecorino Toscano distinguishes itself from the other great Italian pecorinos: it is markedly less salty and less sharp than Pecorino Romano, with a butteriness and a gentle nuttiness that make it more approachable and more versatile. There are notes of dried herbs and hay — a reflection of what the sheep eat — and a clean, slightly tangy finish that comes from the ewes' milk without being aggressive. This is a pecorino for people who find Romano too assertive, and a cheese that works as well on a board as it does grated over food. At this maturity it has enough structure to grate, but it is not so hard that eating it in slices or chunks becomes secondary.
Origin: Tuscany, Italy (D.O.P.)
Ingredients: Pasteurised ewes' milk, salt, rennet.
Storage: Wrap in wax paper or cling film and refrigerate. Use within two to three weeks of cutting. Bring to room temperature before eating.
Allergens: Milk (ewes')
