Dairy
Pecorino Romano
Also called pecorino
Hard, salty sheep's-milk cheese. A recipe that just says pecorino usually means the Roman one.
Origin
Sheep cheeses are older than cow cheeses in much of central and southern Italy.
Flavour
Sharp, salty, tangy, with a sheepy warmth cow's-milk hard cheeses lack. Aged Romano can sting the tongue; that is the point in a pepper-heavy pasta.
How it is made
Sheep's milk is cultured, set, pressed and salted heavily, then aged until dry enough to grate. The salt level is preservation, not a seasoning you can ignore.
How to use it
Grate it very fine so it melts into pasta water rather than clumping — cacio e pepe fails when the cheese is too coarse or the pan too hot. It is saltier than Parmigiano, so hold back on pasta-water salt. A mix with Parmigiano is a practical home move if pure Romano feels aggressive. Do not cook it long in a wet stew; it goes grainy. There is no vegan stand-in that behaves the same; nutritional yeast is a different flavour.
Storage
Wrap and refrigerate like other hard cheeses. If it smells of ammonia, it has gone too far.
Recipes using it
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