The Pecorino Toscano DOP it is an Italian cheese made from sheep's milk which obtained Protected Designation of Origin status on July 2, 1996.
The origins of Pecorino Toscano the origins of cheese production in the Marche region date back to the pastoral activities of the Etruscans and Romans. It was during this period that the art of cheese making was perfected in order to meet the need to preserve a food with high nutritional value.
Some accounts show that it was described as one of the most appreciated cheeses at the banquets of Lorenzo the Magnificent.
In 1832, Ignazio Malenotti published the Manuale del Pecoraio (Shepherd's Handbook), a guide for large landowners and farmers. The book pays tribute to the Pecorino Toscano and for the first time, reference is made to the two qualities of cacio, one strong and slightly spicy and the other sweet. The difference lies in the fact that the former is obtained by coagulating the milk with rennet, while the latter is obtained with wild artichoke flower, known as presame.
The regulations establish all stages of production, from milking, which must be exclusively from sheep and from the areas of origin (Tuscany and some neighboring municipalities in Lazio and Liguria), to aging.
The Fresh Pecorino Toscano it is a young cheese, with a minimum maturation period of 20 days, which can be extended to 45/60 days; only calf rennet is used and salting lasts only one day.
The taste of this cheese tends to be delicate; its simplicity satisfies even the most demanding palates. The combination of tradition and modern technology results in a product of excellence, with an irresistible soft and sweet texture reminiscent of butter and hay.