Pecorino Siciliano Pepato Cheese

Pecorino Siciliano, also called Canestrato, is a raw sheep's milk cheese produced in Sicily. We have to go back to Greek antiquity to find the first traces of this cheese, Homer refers to Pecorino in The Odyssey, and a few centuries later, Pliny, classifying the cheeses of the Mediterranean world in his Natural History, makes Pecorino Siciliano one of the best known cheeses. This cheese, very similar to Pecorino Romano, has benefited from the DOP (Denominazione d'Origine Protesta) since 1955 and a European AOC since 1996.       The uncooked pressed paste, streaked by the strips of the basket in which it is matured and which can be decorated with peppercorns, is covered with a somewhat shiny white crust, the result of at least 4 months of maturing. Pecorino Siciliano takes the shape of a cylinder with flat faces and convex heels. From 20 to 26 cm in diameter and 10 to 18 cm thick, Pecorino Siciliano is a fairly heavy cheese weighing between 4 and 12 kg.       Two markings are made on the wheel; the first, originally, stamps the rind with the designation ''Pecorino Siciliano'' and indicates the cheesemaker and the date of manufacture of the cheese, the second, one month before the sale, affixes the word ''Pecorino Siciliano'' on the wheel which guarantees compliance with the specifications of the AOC during the manufacture of the cheese. For you, the cheeses are refined in our cellars with daily care to delight your taste buds. The weight of all individual cheeses can therefore vary depending on the ripening.