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Fermentation Atlas

Hard sheep and goat cheeses

Pressed sheep or goat milk cheeses, like Pecorino and Manchego.

144 entries listed here, page 1 of 2.

How these cheeses are made

The shared make of hard pressed ewe cheese family (manchego and pecorino romano as templates). Each cheese below says what it does differently.

  1. Set the milk with rennet30 min – 1 h · 28–40 °C
  2. Cut the curd fine
  3. Stir and warm the curd15–45 min · 28–48 °C
  4. Mould and press1–12 h
  5. Salt3 h – 2.3 months · up to 2.3 % salt
  6. Ageat least 30 days · 3–16 °C

Compare them

CheeseRegionMilkRipeningRind
Bovški sir PDOSlovenia, the Bovec area in the upper Soča valley, Julian AlpsRaw sheep milk, mostly from Bovec sheep; up to 20% goat or cow milkAt least 45 days; over a year for grating cheese
Cacio di GenazzanoItaly, Lazio3–6 monthsThin, smooth, straw-yellow
Canestrato di Moliterno PGIItaly, Basilicata70–90 % whole ewe milk and 10–30 % whole goat milk, raw or thermisedAt least 60 days; primitivo up to 6 months, stagionato 6–12 months, extra over 12 months
Canestrato Pugliese PDOItaly, PugliaWhole raw ewe milk onlyTwo to ten months; used for the table or grating once at least six months old
Caprino conciato del MontemaggioreItaly, Campania2–3 monthsThin, slightly hard, oily, ridged from the baskets, yellow-brown with herb residue
Caprino nicastreseItaly, Calabriaat least 20 daysMarked by the rush baskets; white to grey-white when young, straw to brownish-yellow and thicker when aged (ONAF)
Casuforte di StatiglianoItaly, Campania6 months – 2 yearsThin, rough, fairly hard, slightly oily; ivory turning reddish with age
Formaggi di pecora nera di ArbusItaly, SardegnaShort ripening, eaten within 60 days; medium and long ripening from 120 days to over a yearClean, straw darkening with age, thin to fairly thick
Formaggio di pecora o capra a pasta pressata (Valle d'Aosta)Italy, Valle d'AostaWhole raw ewe or goat milk (ONAF also lists cow milk with ewe or goat milk added)At least 3 months (ONAF)
Formaggio e caciotta di pecora sott'olioItaly, LazioWhole ewe milk, raw or pasteurised30 days to 3 months (or 3–6 months by area), then 6–12 months under oil
Idiazabal PDOBasque Country and northern Navarre, SpainRaw milk of Latxa and Carranzana sheepAt least 60 days
Kefalograviera PDOGreece, Western Macedonia, Epirus and the prefectures of Aitoloakarnania and EvrytaniaSheep milk, or sheep milk mixed with goat milk (up to 10 %)At least 3 months; often kept up to a year
KefalotyriGreece and CyprusSheep, goat or a mixture; sometimes cow milkAt least 3 months (Greek law)
Ladotyri Mytilinis PDOGreece, island of LesvosEwe milk, or ewe with up to 30 % goat milk, from Lesvos; raw or pasteurisedAt least three months at 12–16 °C
Njeguški sirMontenegro, Njeguši village on Mount Lovćen and the area around itSheep milk originally; now often a mix with cow or goat milk30 days
Ossau-IratyFrance, western PyreneesWhole ewe milk; raw for farm cheese; heat treatment allowed only in dairiesAt least 80 days (small format) or 120 days (large format) at 6–15 °C
Pecorino ai bronziItaly, LazioRaw whole ewe milk from crossbred Massese and Comisana flocks kept on open pastureAbout 75 days after drying, 30 in chests and 45 in casksHard and smooth, treated with oil and vinegar; straw-yellow turning brown
Pecorino dei Monti della LagaItaly, LazioEwe milk with up to 30 % goat milk, raw or pasteurised3–6 months after 10–20 days of dryingThin to fairly thick, hard, oily, ribbed by the basket; ochre to brown
Pecorino del pastore (Romagna)Italy, Emilia-RomagnaWhole ewe milk, mostly Sarda breed; made April to OctoberAt least 15 days, up to 6–8 monthsThin, smooth when young, wrinkled and brown with age; often oiled or rubbed with tomato paste
Pecorino della Sabina (semplice e alle erbe)Italy, LazioWhole ewe milk, raw or pasteurised; aged wheels mostly from spring milk1 month (young) to 3–6 months (aged)Hard, oily; dark straw on the plain type, grey from potato starch on the herb type
Pecorino di FerentinoItaly, LazioWhole ewe milk; raw from March to May, pasteurised from June to February6–7 to 12 months; also sold fresh as primo saleWrinkled, yellow to dark yellow, thin to thick
Pecorino di RoiateItaly, Lazio, province of RomeWhole ewe milk from Massese, Siciliana, Sarda, Sopravissana and, for over 20 years, Lacaune ewes on free pasture at 750–1000 m15 days – 12 months
Pecorino in botteItaly, MarcheRaw local ewe milk (the base Marche pecorino)40–60 days (90 if wine is used), then 20–90 days in the cask and at least 10 days of airingDark, thin, printed with leaves, with moulds; reddish with red pomace
Pecorino Romano PDOItaly, the whole of Sardinia and Lazio, and the province of Grosseto in TuscanyFresh whole ewe milk, raw or thermised; made from October to JulyTable at least 5 months, grating at least 8 months, Riserva at least 18 months
Pecorino Siciliano PDOItaly, the whole of SicilyRaw whole ewe milk; at least 80 % of forage from Sicily; no silageFresco 20–30 days, Semistagionato 60–90 days, Stagionato at least 120 days
Queijo Amarelo da Beira BaixaPortugal, Beira BaixaRaw ewe milk 50–100 %, raw goat milk 0–50 %at least 40 days
Queijo de Azeitão PDOPortugal, Setúbal peninsulaRaw ewe milk from the delimited area; nothing added but salt and cardoonAt least 16 days, in two phases of 8–12 days each
Queijo de Cabra TransmontanoPortugal, Trás-os-MontesRaw milk from Serrana goats onlyVelho at least 90 days
Queijo de Castelo Branco (Queijo da Beira Baixa PDO)Portugal, Beira BaixaRaw ewe milk only (the Amarelo and Picante types may use goat milk)At least 40 days; "Velho" after more than 90 days
Queijo Picante da Beira BaixaPortugal, Beira BaixaRaw ewe and/or goat milk in any proportionat least 3.9 months
Queijo RabaçalPortugal, Centro, the Sicó hillsRaw ewe and goat milk, mixedat least 20 days
Queijo SerpaPortugal, Baixo Alentejoat least 30 days
Queijo TerrinchoPortugal, Terra Quente Transmontana and the upper DouroRaw milk of Churra da Terra Quente ewes onlyat least 3 months
Queso Castellano PGISpain, the whole of Castile and LeónAt least 30 days (1.5 kg or less) or 60 days (larger)Well defined and mould-free, with possible band, mould or cloth marks; pale yellow to brown; natural or coated
Queso de Flor de Guía PDOSpain, Canary Islands, north-west Gran CanariaAt least 60 % Canary sheep milk; up to 40 % cow and 10 % goat milkAt least 15 days; semi-mature 15–60 days, mature over 60 days
Queso Manchego PDOSpain, Castilla-La ManchaManchega ewe milk with at least 6.5% fat and 4.5% protein, chilled to 8 °C or lessAt least 30 days (up to 1.5 kg) or 60 days (larger), up to 2 years, at 3–16 °C and 65–90% RH
Sir u ulju (Dalmatian cheese in olive oil)Croatia, Dalmatia and the islandsAny semi-hard cheese of sheep, goat or cow milk7 days – 2 months
Torta del Casar PDOSpain, Extremadura, central-southern Cáceres provinceRaw whole milk from Merino and Entrefino sheepAt least 60 days at 4–12 °C
Zamorano PDOSpain, Castile and León, the province of ZamoraWhole ewe milk of Churra and Castellana breeds or their F1 crosses with Spanish AssafAt least 100 days (60 days under 1.5 kg)
AxriddaItaly, Sardegnaat least 3 monthsClay-coated, thin, smooth or slightly rough, grey or hazel
Cacio-ricottaItaly, Molise6 monthsNone (fresh, ivory) to clean brown (aged); basket marks
CaciocapraItaly, Veneto2–4 monthsThin, fairly soft, straw yellow
Caciotta degli ElimiItaly, Sicilia30–35 daysTreated (clear plastic coating), thin, straw, basket-marked
Caprino dell'AspromonteItaly, Calabria30–50 minClean, rush marks; white or greyish to straw-yellow/hazel with age; possible brown spots from removed mould
Caso maturo del MateseItaly, Campania6 monthsTreated, rough, deep hazelnut, moist
Caso VallicelliItaly, Campania3 hGrey with cave moulds, slightly thick, oily
Casu ré pecóra del MateseItaly, Campania2 hClean; basket-marked and moist when fresh, rough and oily with mould spots when aged
Conciato di San VittoreItaly, Lazio45 days – 3 monthsVery thin, light straw, covered with the herb rub
EricinoItaly, Siciliaat least 20 daysClean or oil-chilli treated, smooth, straw to light brown
FatulìItaly, Lombardia10 daysWrinkled, marked by grill bars, yellow to brown depending on smoking
Formaggio di capra sicilianoItaly, Siciliaat least 2 daysNone (fresh) or clean / olive-oil treated; basket-marked, white-yellowish
Formaggio di Santo Stefano di QuisquinaItaly, Siciliaat least 6 monthsClean, basket-marked, oily, intense straw with brown edge
Formaggio pecorino dei BericiItaly, Veneto2 monthsFairly thin, slightly hard, straw yellow
Formaggio pecorino fresco di malgaItaly, Veneto15 daysThin, soft, smooth, white-straw
Formatge serrat (queso serrat)Spain, Catalonia56 days – 2 monthsVery thin and smooth, waxy-looking, yellow, with no cracks
Il Fossa del GreppoItaly, Toscanaat least 2 monthsThin, slightly wrinkled, greasy, grey-brown with mould spots
Il grande vecchio di MontefollonicoItaly, Toscanaat least 9.9 monthsThick, hard, oily, light brown with basket marks
Incanestrato di Castel del MonteItaly, Abruzzo25 days – 10 monthsStraw-yellow, hard, rush-basket marks; thicker with age
Istarski ovčji sir / Istrski ovčji sirCroatia and Slovenia, Istriaat least 2 monthsSmooth, lemon- to dark-yellow; colourless polymer coat allowed
Krčki sirCroatia, island of KrkRaw ewe milk, not heat-treated; 7.81 % fat, 5.59 % protein, pH 6.66 on average
MaiorchinoItaly, Sicilia8 monthsClean or oiled, amber to brown
Maiorchino di Novara di SiciliaItaly, Siciliaat least 30 daysTreated (oiled), smooth, amber to brown
Marzolino di LucardoItaly, Toscana2–3 daysThin, slightly wrinkled with cloth marks; pale straw or orange-pink
Pecorino a crosta fioritaItaly, Toscanaat least 2 monthsBloomy, wrinkled 'felt' of white or grey mould
Pecorino a latte crudo abbucciatoItaly, Toscanaat least 30 daysClean, edible; becomes slightly thick and elastic with a marked rim
Pecorino a latte crudo della montagna pistoieseItaly, Toscana20–40 minSoft to hard, smooth, straw to grey-brown
Pecorino a latte crudo della Provincia di SienaItaly, Toscanaat least 2 monthsTreated, smooth, straw-yellow, moderately thin
Pecorino bagnoleseItaly, Campaniaat least 20 daysClean or treated with oil, wax, lard, or oil and chilli powder
Pecorino d'AbruzzoItaly, Abruzzoat least 3 monthsStraw-yellow, fairly thin, rush marks that may hold greyish mould
Pecorino del CasentinoItaly, Toscana20–30 daysOrange-peel texture; white to pale straw (fresh), golden to light brown (aged)
Pecorino del MateseItaly, Molise15–20 daysHard, ridged, hazel darkening with age
Pecorino del Monte MarzanoItaly, Campaniaat least 2 monthsTreated, fairly thick, basket-marked, golden to brown
Pecorino del Parco di Migliarino-San RossoreItaly, Toscana2 monthsFairly thin, fairly hard, white to light brown
Pecorino del PollinoItaly, Calabria2 hSlightly thick, straw-yellow to brown, rush marks, possible mould residues
Pecorino dell'Appennino ReggianoItaly, Emilia-Romagna1 hPale white-yellow (fresh) to brown with grey-green moulds (aged)
Pecorino della Costa ApuanaItaly, Toscana2 monthsSlightly wrinkled; ivory to light brown with age
Pecorino della Garfagnana e delle Colline LucchesiItaly, Toscana3 hSlightly wrinkled; straw (fresh) to brown (aged)
Pecorino della LocrideItaly, Calabria40–50 minClean, greasy, rush marks, possible mould; white to straw when young, straw to brown when aged
Pecorino della LunigianaItaly, Toscanaat least 20 daysFairly smooth; deep straw to ochre
Pecorino delle cantine di RoccalbegnaItaly, Toscanaat least 4 monthsHard, amber, greasy, white and grey cellar moulds

Bold names have a full page with the animated steps. Blank cells: no sourced value yet.

Numbers come from cited sources and carry a label that says how each is known. How this atlas is made