Pecorino

American  

[pek-uh-ree-noh] / ˌpɛk əˈri noʊ /

noun

plural

Pecorinos, Pecorini

1. (often lowercase) a dry, hard Italian cheese made of ewe's milk, especially Romano.

---

pecorino British  

/ ˌpɛkəˈriːnəʊ /

noun

1. an Italian cheese made from ewes' milk

---

Etymology

Origin of Pecorino

First recorded in 1905–10; from Italian: literally, “(cheese) of ewes,” from adjective pecorino, from pecora “sheep, ewe” + -ino, from Late Latin pecorīnus “relating to sheep,” from Latin pecus (stem pecor- ) “farm animals, livestock” + -īnus adjective suffix; akin to fief ( def. ); -ine ¹ ( def. )

Explanation

Pecorino is a hard Italian cheese that tastes similar to Parmesan. Unlike that more widely-known cheese, pecorino is made from sheep's milk. Instead of grating Parmesan on your spaghetti, you could use pecorino instead. It's also crumbly and salty, but because it's not aged as long, pecorino is a bit softer and has less of Parmesan's nutty sweetness. Some people also detect a slight tanginess in the flavor of pecorino, probably because it's made from the milk of sheep, rather than cows. Pecorino derives from pecora, Italian for "sheep."

Example Sentences

Sheep milk is too rich in fat and protein for most to drink but creates delectable cheese such as Manchego, Pecorino and feta.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 16, 2023

“Tell me your feelings about pecorino,” I said, and they both started laughing, and then said that they have an imaginary rat mascot named Pecorino who helps them out, “Ratatouille”-style.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 23, 2023

A four-cheese combo of gouda, Gruyère, Parmesan, and Pecorino add both nuttiness and funk to the finished bowl.

From Salon • Dec. 25, 2022

Add some grated Italian cheese like Pecorino Romano or Parmesan and finish with some fruity-bitter-grassy extra virgin olive oil and crushed, dried red pepper flakes — well, it's just my favorite thing.

From Salon • Oct. 1, 2022

Although made of sheep's milk, Pecorino is classed with both Parmesan and Romano.

From The Complete Book of Cheese by Brown, Robert Carlton