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Pecorino Romano is a creamy-white cheese made from sheep's milk in the vicinity of Rome. The curd is drained, then pierced to make fine holes, then salted.

It's often just called "Romano Cheese." The cheese seems a bit like Parmesan, but grates more finely and has a sharper, saltier taste.

North American Romano is usually made from cow's milk. In North America, the aged, hard version is the most common, but in Italy you can also get the younger, softer versions which can't be grated.

In Europe, Pecorino Romano is an EU PDO protected cheese. It can only be made in Italy in the regions of Lazio and Sardinia, and in the Grosseto province of Tuscany.

Cooking Tips
Romano stands up well to or in spicier dishes. The aged version grates well, like Parmesan.

Substitutes
For the hard Pecorino Romano, you can substitute Parmesan, Asiago, Grana Padano or any Pecorino cheese.

Equivalents
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese = 2 ounces = 50g

History
The Romans made either this cheese, or a cheese very much like it. It stored well, so it often appeared as part of a legion's rations.

The Romans even had their own legend about how the cheese was invented. A shepherd had a skin filled with sheep's milk. The rocking motion of his walking (or riding) combined with the milk fermenting made the first version of the cheese. This legend, though, is hardly unique to either the Romans or to Italy, for that matter.

The Romans called the area around Rome "Latium". Today it is called "Lazio".

Language Notes
"Pecorino Romano" essentially means "Roman sheep's milk".

Also called:

See Also:

Extra-Hard Cheeses

Other entries for: Pecorino Cheese

Pecorino Cheese, Pecorino Ginepro Cheese, Pecorino Pepato Cheese, Pecorino Romano Cheese, Pecorino Sardo Cheese, Pecorino Siciliano Cheese, Pecorino Toscano Cheese

Other entries for: Sheep's Milk Cheeses

Brebis au piment d'Espelette, Brebis des Pyrénées Cheese, Brebis du Lavort Cheese, Brebis du Lochois, Brebis Pardou, Brousse de Brebis, Brousse du Var, Feita Cheese, Katy's White Lavender Cheese, Mutton Button Cheese, Ossau-Iraty Cheeses, Perail de Brebis, Sheep's Milk Cheeses

Other entries for:

Cheese
Affinage, American Cheeses, Casu Marzu, Cheese Rinds, Creamery, Double/Triple-Cream Cheese, Extra-Hard Cheeses, Firm Cheeses, Goat's Milk Cheeses, Mexican Cheeses, Pate (of a Cheese), Processed Cheese, Queso Fundido, Rennet, Semi-Firm Cheeses, Skim-Milk Cheeses, Smear-Ripened Cheeses, Soft Cheeses, Surface-Ripened Cheeses, Sweet Curd Cheeses, The Crumblies, Truckle, Washed-Curd Cheeses, Washed-Rind Cheeses, Yak Cheese, Yeel Cheese

Other entries for:

Dairy
Butterfat, Butter, Milk, Nondairy Topping