Pecorino cheese comes from Italy, where it has been made from sheep’s milk for over two thousand years. The name itself comes from the Italian word “pecora,” meaning sheep. There isn’t just one pecorino: it’s a family of cheeses produced across several Italian regions, each with its own character, protected status, and tradition stretching back to antiquity.
Ancient Roman Roots
Pecorino is one of the oldest cheeses still in production. Ancient Romans prized it at imperial banquets, and its long shelf life made it a practical staple for soldiers on the march. Roman legionaries received a daily ration of 27 grams of pecorino to supplement their bread and farro soup. The processing of sheep’s milk for cheese was described as far back as Homer’s writings, and the techniques were refined and codified over the centuries that followed.
The Four Main Regional Varieties
Italy produces four major pecorino cheeses, each tied to a specific region and granted Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. That legal protection means each variety can only be made in its designated area using traditional methods.
Pecorino Romano
The most widely known pecorino, especially outside Italy. Despite its name referencing Rome, Pecorino Romano is now primarily produced in Sardinia, though it can legally be made in Lazio (the region around Rome) and the Grosseto province of Tuscany. It’s a hard, salty grating cheese that competes directly with Parmigiano Reggiano, though it’s sharper and less complex. The saltiness and firmness increase with age. Most people encounter it grated over pasta, soups, or salads.
Pecorino Toscano
Made in Tuscany, this variety is milder and less salty than Romano. It comes in two forms: a fresh version aged just 20 days and a harder version aged at least three months. Toscano tends to be sweet, creamy, and nutty, making it better suited as a table cheese you’d eat in slices rather than grate.
Pecorino Sardo
Produced on the island of Sardinia, Pecorino Sardo is less well known internationally but highly regarded in Italy. It’s less salty than Romano with a richer, more nuanced flavor that sharpens as it ages. Sardinia’s sheep dairy industry is a major part of the island’s economy, and the local grazing conditions give the milk a distinctive character.
Pecorino Siciliano
This variety traces its roots to when ancient Greeks controlled Sicily. It can be aged anywhere from three to 18 months and is often flavored with whole peppercorns, in which case it goes by the name Pepato. Like Sardo, it’s less salty than Romano and reflects the particular grasses and climate of the Sicilian landscape.
Why Sheep’s Milk Matters
Pecorino’s distinctive richness comes directly from the milk. Sheep’s milk contains nearly twice the butterfat of cow’s milk, along with higher levels of calcium. That extra fat is what gives pecorino its dense, creamy texture and full flavor. It’s also why aged pecorino wheels sometimes “sweat” at room temperature, with small beads of oil forming on the surface. One telltale sign you’re eating a sheep’s milk cheese.
The specific breed of sheep and where they graze both influence the final product. Breeds like Comisana and Lacaune, common in central Italy, produce milk with different microbial profiles. Research from farms in the Amaseno Valley in Lazio has shown that even sheep raised in the same geographic area develop distinct microbial communities in their milk depending on the breed and farming practices. This microbial variation is part of what the French and Italians call “terroir,” the way local conditions leave a fingerprint on food.
How Pecorino Is Made
The production process follows steps that haven’t changed dramatically since Roman times. Fresh sheep’s milk is poured into coagulation tanks, where natural lactic ferments are added in a step called “scotta innesto.” This is a defining feature of pecorino production and gives the cheese much of its characteristic tang. Lamb rennet is then added at temperatures between 38°C and 40°C, causing the milk to separate into solid curds and liquid whey.
The curds are cut, drained, and pressed into wheel-shaped molds. Each wheel is marked and dry-salted. Then comes the aging, or “seasoning.” For Pecorino Romano, the minimum aging period is five months, though many wheels age longer. Toscano can be ready in as little as 20 days for the fresh version. The aging environment, often a temperature-controlled cave or cellar kept between 12°C and 14°C, plays a critical role in the final flavor and texture.
Naturally Low in Lactose
If you’re lactose intolerant, aged pecorino is worth knowing about. During the ripening process, bacteria naturally break down lactose. Research on Pecorino di Osilo, a Sardinian farmstead variety, found that after 30 days of aging, lactose levels dropped below the detection limit of laboratory instruments, well under the 0.1 grams per 100 grams threshold Italy uses for “lactose-free” labeling. Most people with lactose maldigestion can tolerate up to 12 grams of lactose in a single dose without symptoms. Aged pecorino contains essentially none.
Pecorino Beyond Italy
Italy is the world’s second-largest cheese exporter overall, shipping $5.69 billion worth of cheese in 2024. The top destinations are France, Germany, and the United States, which imported $516 million in Italian cheese that year. Pecorino Romano accounts for a significant share of what reaches American kitchens, where it’s become a go-to grating cheese for pasta dishes like cacio e pepe and carbonara, both Roman recipes that traditionally call for pecorino rather than parmesan.
Outside of Italy, you’ll sometimes find sheep’s milk cheeses labeled “pecorino style,” but only cheeses produced in the designated Italian regions under traditional methods can carry the official PDO names. If the label says Pecorino Romano, Toscano, Sardo, or Siciliano, it was made in Italy from Italian sheep’s milk, following rules that have been formalized for centuries.