Consorzio Pecorino Romano

Pecorino Romano is a hard, cooked cheese, produced with whole fresh sheep milk, exclusively from the production area. It may be inoculated with natural cultures of autochthonous milk bacteria and coagulated with creamy lamb rennet. Its rind is thin; ivory or light straw-coloured, occasionally covered with substances for food protection. These may be neutral or black.

The cheese itself is compact or with small eyes. Its colour may vary from white to straw-coloured, depending on the technical conditions of production.

The taste of the softer kind is aromatic, slightly sharp and salty; the harder kind, used for grating, is stronger and more intense.

The wheels are cylindrical with flat ends, with a height between 25 and 40 cm. The diameter ranges from 25 to 35 cm. The wheels may weigh from 20 to 35 kg. The surface of the rind is stamped with the specific Denomination of Origin brand (a diamond with rounded corners. Inside, there is a stylised sheep head) with the name, “Pecorino Romano” under it.