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Fermentation Atlas

Cheese from Italy, Toscana

Pecorino della Costa ApuanaPecorino massese

Made in 6 steps over 2 months. The longest step, ripen, takes 2 months (ONAF).

Key numbers
Main step2 monthsReported[onaf][onaf-sheet][pat-sheet]Ripen
Temperature30–35 °CReported[onaf][onaf-sheet][pat-sheet]Set the curd

Recipe

No fixed amounts recordedWhat goes in. No source gives amounts for this ferment.
sheep milk, (Massese breed only), raw, whole

Total time across the recorded steps: 2 months

Start
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What changes: Raw whole sheep milk goes into the vat

Step 1 of 6
Prepare the milk
Time
Not documented
Temperature
Not documented
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented

S (Massese breed only), raw, whole

Flavour
Not documented
Texture
Not documented
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

Not documented for this step.

Method

Measured measured in a studySet fixed by a specification or tested recipeReported one source reports itTypical a general value, not sourced for this fermentUnconfirmed not yet checked against a source

What makes this one different

Rare semi-cooked Tuscan ewe cheese, made only from Massese sheep's milk, all year.

Rind
Slightly wrinkled; ivory to light brown with age
Size
1.0–2.5 kg; cylinder

Variants

  • fresco: short ripening, soft elastic rind
  • stagionato: ~60 d, firmer rind

History and sources

Every number is labelled with how it is known. How this atlas is made

  1. [onaf] ONAF, scheda formaggio 'Pecorino della costa apuana' (id 929)web
  2. [onaf-sheet] ONAF technical sheet PDFweb
  3. [pat-sheet] Regione Toscana PAT sheetgov