Mild Pecorino Sardo PDO Santa Teresa

Pecorino Sardo is one of the oldest cheeses of the Sardinian tradition and it has a long history that has its roots at the time of the Nuragic population. The first records date back at the end of the eighteenth century. In that period, pecorino was obtained from raw milk or from milk heated with red-hot stones. Over time the techniques have been perfected and the secrets of tradition have fused with innovative processing techniques.

Sardinian Pecorino is produced exclusively with milk from Sardinian farms. Milk can be processed raw, thermized or pasteurized. The milk is then coagulated with calf rennet at 35-38 ° C for 35-40 minutes. Once the curd has been obtained, th curd is then broken to obtein lumps.

There are many differences between Pecorino Romano Dop and Pecorino Sardo Dop. First of all, Pecorino Romano PDO must be produced with milk coming from Sardinia region, Lazio region and the province of Grosseto in Tuscany; Pecorino Sardo DOP must be produced exclusively with Sardinian milk, respecting the tradition. Pecorino Romano PDO is an aged cheese, Pecorino Sardo PDO can be produced both in the mature versione and in the mild version (it is a younger "cacciotta").

Pecorino Romano PDO, unlike Pecorino Sardo PDO, has a much longer maturation: Pecorino Romano PDO aging goes from 5 months for the cheese table, up to about 8 months for the suitable for grating; Pecorino Sardo Maturo PDO needs maturing at least 60 days and Pecorino Sardo DOlce PDO needs maturing at least 20 days.

The shape of Pecorino Romano PDO is large, cylindrical with white paste; while the shape of Pecorino Sardo Maturo PDO is smaller, it weighs around 3 kg, it has a darker paste and its surface is treated with olive oil; the shape of Pecorino Sardo Dolce PDO has a withe paste and the whole wheel is even smaller, the wheel weighs around 1,5kg.

In cooking Pecorino Romano PDO is mostly used as seasoning, as grated cheese on pasta dishes. Also Pecorino Sardo Maturo PDO cheese thanks to its aging of at least 60 days can be used as seasoning, grated on tasty pasta dishes.

Pecorino Sardo Maturo PDO matures at least 4 months, Pecorino Sardo Dolce PDO matures at least 20 days.

100 grams of matured Sardinian pecorino cheese contain 378 calories. To burn off this calories you could garden for 1 hour and 25 minutes or you coud swim for 40 minutes.

Not all Sardinian Pecorino cheeses are PDO. Pecorino Sardo with Protected Designation of Origin is recognizable by the PDO mark and the logo of theis Consortium indicated on the label, this logo is easily recognizable because it is shaped like a sheep.