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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 2 of 2.

Compare them

CheeseRegionMilkRipeningRind
Pecorino delle colline senesiItaly, Toscanaat least 20 daysThin; straw (fresh) to yellow-brown/brown with mould residues (aged)
Pecorino di AtriItaly, Abruzzo40 days – 2 yearsStraw-yellow, rush marks, may show mould streaks
Pecorino di CapracottaItaly, Molise30 daysHard, basket-ridged, straw to hazel; possible mould spots
Pecorino di CarmascianoItaly, Campania10 daysTreated, oily, basket-marked, straw to brown; sometimes dusted with chilli
Pecorino di LaticaudaItaly, Campania2–4 monthsTreated with olive oil, oil and hot chilli, or a pepper sauce; straw to light brown
Pecorino di MaglieItaly, Pugliaat least 2 monthsThin, straw-yellow, basket marks
Pecorino di Norcia (del caseificio)Italy, Umbriaat least 2 monthsClean, smooth, straw-yellow
Pecorino di Norcia del pastoreItaly, Umbriaat least 2 monthsYellow, darkening with age
Pecorino di NuleItaly, Sardegna2–3.9 monthsClean, thin, smooth, straw yellow
Pecorino di OsiloItaly, Sardegna2 monthsClean, smooth; light straw young to dark straw/brown aged; may show mould spots
Pecorino di Pienza stagionato in barriquesItaly, Toscanaat least 3 monthsThin, greasy, amber or coloured by the treatment
Pecorino di PietrarojaItaly, Campania2–6 monthsTreated, oily, basket-marked, straw to brown
Pecorino di VitulanoItaly, Campaniaat least 30 daysTreated, oily, basket-marked, straw to brown
Pecorino foggianoItaly, Pugliaat least 2 monthsFresh: fairly hard, golden yellow; aged: thick and hard; basket marks
Pecorino fresco e stagionatoItaly, Campania3–6 monthsClean or treated, basket-marked, straw to light brown
Pecorino primo saleItaly, Calabria15 daysThin, soft, greasy, yellowish-white, rush marks
Pecorino rossoItaly, Siciliaat least 4 monthsTreated (oil + tomato), tomato-red, smooth, oily
Pecorino stagionato in botte (Umbria)Italy, Umbria3–4 monthsOiled, fairly wrinkled or smooth, straw to brown; may carry walnut leaves
Pecorino stagionato in foglie di noceItaly, Toscana2–3.9 monthsTreated, greasy, beige to brown, covered with walnut (sometimes fig) leaves
Pecorino stagionato in fossa/grotta (Umbria)Italy, Umbria3–4 monthsThin skin, greasy, wet; white-amber
Pecorino UmbroItaly, Umbriaat least 2 monthsClean, smooth, straw-yellow
PicurinuItaly, Siciliaup to 8 monthsNone (tuma) to clean or oiled; basket-marked, white-yellowish
Semicotto di capraItaly, Sardegnaat least 15 daysClean, thin, straw, browning with age
StaèlItaly, Lombardia30 daysThin, slightly wrinkled from the moulds, straw to light brown
Tagliatizzo di CastelsaracenoItaly, Basilicataat least 2 monthsThin, straw-yellow, basket marks, greasy
Abertamský sýr (Abertam)Czech Republic, Ore MountainsSheep milkAbout 2 months (review citing an older reference work)
BerkswellEngland, West Midlands, Ram Hall farm at Berkswell near CoventryRaw sheep milk from the farm's own flock3–5 months (2012 report)
Cacio di nonno Nino di Montalto di CastroItaly, Lazio2–6 monthsThin, semi-hard, ochre or greyish, oily
Caprino di malga (delle Alpi Marittime)Italy, Liguria30 daysFairly thin, soft, straw yellow
Fiore Sardo PDOSardiniasheep milk, raw≥105 d
Formaggio caprino della LiminaItaly, Calabria1 hTreated with olive oil and a little vinegar, sometimes ground red pepper; rush marks
Formaggio di grotta / Pecorino di grottaMarche/Tuscanysheep milkmonths in caves
Imokilly Regato PDOIreland, south-east CorkCow milk from pasture-fed herds in south-east Cork, grazing March to OctoberTypically 9–12 months
Kraški ovčji sirSlovenia, Karstsheep milk, raw (traditionally local pramenka sheep)Several months; outline sources disagree on the exact time, and the specification was not reachable
Majorero PDOFuerteventuragoat milk, (Majorera) (+S)8 d – >60 d
MarzolinoTuscanysheep milkfresh–months
Marzolino o MarzolinaItaly, LazioAbsent or a thin skin, white or ivory
Mihaliç / Kelle peyniriBalıkesirsheep milk
Paški sir PDOPag, Croatiasheep milk≥5 mo
Pecorino alle erbe aromaticheItaly, Toscana30–45 daysNone; herb coat, brown-green over a straw surface
Pecorino Crotonese PDOCalabriasheep milk≥20 d
Pecorino della vallata Stilaro-AllaroItaly, Calabria1 hHard, greasy, rush marks; white to pale straw, ochre when aged; possible mould
Pecorino di AmatriceItaly, Lazio6–12 monthsFairly thick, hard, oily; deep yellow or black (oil and vinegar treatment)
Pecorino di FarindolaItaly, Abruzzo20–30 minOchre-yellow, rush marks; harder with age
Pecorino di Filiano PDOBasilicatasheep milk, raw≥90 d
Pecorino di Picinisco PDOLaziosheep milk, (+G)≥30 d
Pecorino ligure di malgaItaly, Liguria20 days – 2 monthsClean, smooth, possibly mould-spotted; straw to brown with age
Pecorino Sardo PDO (dolce/maturo)Sardiniasheep milkdolce 20–60 d; maturo ≥2 mo
Pecorino Toscano PDOTuscanysheep milkfresco ≥20 d; stagionato ≥4 mo
Piacentinu Ennese PDOEnnasheep milk≥60 d
Queijo de Cabra do Pinhal MaiorPortugal, Centro30 days – 3 months
Queijo de Évora PDOAlentejosheep milk, raw
Queijo de Nisa PDOAlentejosheep milk, raw≥45 d
Queijo de TomarPortugal, Ribatejo Norte21 days
Queijo Serra da Estrela PDOPortugalsheep milk, raw (Bordaleira)≥30 d
Queso añejoMexicocow/goat milk
Queso de La Serena PDOBadajozsheep milk, raw≥60 d
Queso de Mallorca (incl. Oveja Roja Mallorquina)Spain, Balearic Islands2 months
Queso Palmero PDOLa Palmagoat milk, raw≥8 d
Queso pata de muloSpain, Castile and León3–6 monthsYellow to ochre
Roncal PDONavarresheep milk, raw≥4 mo
Sardo (Argentina)Argentinacow milk
SolaItaly, Piemonte
Torta de BarrosSpain, ExtremaduraFirm rind over a soft, runny centre

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

Short entries

What the sources record about each of these so far.

Abertamský sýr (Abertam)Czech Republic, Ore Mountains

Also called Abertamský sýr, Abertam, Abertam cheese.

Abertam is a traditional farm cheese of sheep's milk from the Ore Mountains near Karlovy Vary. Reference works describe it as a hard or firm cheese of irregular round shape with a yellow to orange natural rind and a strong, acidic taste, ripened for about two months. No published source describes how it is made.

Milk
Sheep milk
Ripening
About 2 months (review citing an older reference work)
Shape and rind
Irregular spherical shape; natural rind, yellow to orange
Texture and taste
Firm; strong, acidic and tasty

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

BerkswellEngland, West Midlands, Ram Hall farm at Berkswell near Coventry

Berkswell is a hard raw ewe's milk cheese made at Ram Hall farm in the West Midlands. The curd is set with lamb's rennet and moulded by hand in kitchen colanders, which give the wheel its flying-saucer shape and patterned crust. The cheeses are dry-salted, coated and matured on wooden shelves for several months.

Milk
Raw sheep milk from the farm's own flock
Ripening
3–5 months (2012 report)
Shape
Flying saucer, from moulding in colanders
  1. Rennet the warm milk
  2. Cut and stir
  3. Mould in colanders
  4. Turn and dry-salt6 days
  5. Wash and coat
  6. Mature on wooden shelves3–5 months
Cacio di nonno Nino di Montalto di CastroItaly, Lazio

Raw-curd ewe cheese with an olive-oil-treated, brushed rind; granular paste with eyes; table or grating use.

Rind
Thin, semi-hard, ochre or greyish, oily
Size
4–5 kg; cylinder, flat faces, straight side
  1. Prepare the milk
  2. Set the curd
  3. Mould and salt
  4. Ripen2–6 months
Caprino di malga (delle Alpi Marittime)Italy, Liguria

Little-known summer alpine goat cheese of the Ligurian Maritime Alps; white, fairly hard, sweetish paste with low aroma, credited to sea-influenced pasture plants.

Rind
Fairly thin, soft, straw yellow
Size
About 2.0 kg; Ø 35–40 cm as given by ONAF (looks implausible for 2 kg)
  1. Prepare the milk
  2. Set the curd
  3. Mould and salt
  4. Ripen30 days
Fiore Sardo PDOSardinia

lamb paste, lightly smoked, oiled

Milk
sheep milk, raw
Ripening
≥105 d

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Formaggio caprino della LiminaItaly, Calabria

Rare free-range goat cheese, strong and slightly piquant, with an oil-vinegar rind rub.

Rind
Treated with olive oil and a little vinegar, sometimes ground red pepper; rush marks
Size
1.0–2.0 kg; Ø 10–20 cm, height 10–15 cm
  1. Prepare the milk
  2. Set the curd1 h
  3. Cut and drain the curd
  4. Mould and salt
Formaggio di grotta / Pecorino di grottaMarche/Tuscany

cave-aged

Milk
sheep milk
Ripening
months in caves

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Imokilly Regato PDOIreland, south-east Cork

Also called Imokilly Regato, Regato.

A hard cow-milk cheese made at Mogeely in east Cork from milk of cows that graze from March to October. The milk is held 12–18 hours so its own bacteria start to grow, then set with a house culture and rennet, cut very fine and cooked hot. The wheels are brined, salted by hand and matured for about 9–12 months.

Milk
Cow milk from pasture-fed herds in south-east Cork, grazing March to October
Ripening
Typically 9–12 months
  1. Hold the milk12–18 h
  2. Add culture and rennet
  3. Cut fine and cook
  4. Mould and press
  5. Brine, then dry-salt by hand
  6. Mature9–12 months
Kraški ovčji sirSlovenia, Karst

Also called Kraški ovčji sir, Karst sheep cheese, Kras sheep cheese.

Kraški ovčji sir is a hard cheese made on farms of the Karst plateau in Slovenia from the raw milk of local pramenka sheep. Farmers once made it in copper kettles and carried it in wooden cases to Trieste, Gorizia and Rijeka. Its making steps and numbers sit in a national specification that could not be read for this entry.

Milk
sheep milk, raw (traditionally local pramenka sheep)
Ripening
Several months; outline sources disagree on the exact time, and the specification was not reachable
Equipment
Traditionally made in copper kettles; cheese carried to market in wooden cases (brente)

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Majorero PDOFuerteventura

rind rubbed with paprika, gofio or oil; palm-weave marks

Milk
goat milk, (Majorera) (+S)
Ripening
8 d – >60 d

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

MarzolinoTuscany

spring sheep cheese

Milk
sheep milk
Ripening
fresh–months

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Marzolino o MarzolinaItaly, Lazio

Small mostly-goat cheese with very varied local recipes, built around the drying conditions of the southern Lazio mountains.

Rind
Absent or a thin skin, white or ivory
Size
0.070–0.250 kg; near-cylinder, ø 6–8 cm, side at least 4 cm
  1. Prepare the milk
  2. Set the curd
  3. Ripen
Mihaliç / Kelle peyniriBalıkesir

hard, salty, small holes

Milk
sheep milk

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Paški sir PDOPag, Croatia

salt-spray grazing; olive-oil rind

Milk
sheep milk
Ripening
≥5 mo

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Pecorino alle erbe aromaticheItaly, Toscana

Soft ewe cheese aged inside an oil-and-dried-herb 'shirt'.

Rind
None; herb coat, brown-green over a straw surface
Size
~1.2 kg; Ø 16–18 cm, side 8–10 cm
  1. Prepare the milk
  2. Set the curd
  3. Cut and drain the curd
  4. Mould and salt
  5. Ripen30–45 days
Pecorino Crotonese PDOCalabria

basket marks

Milk
sheep milk
Ripening
≥20 d

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Pecorino della vallata Stilaro-AllaroItaly, Calabria

Ewe-goat pecorino with a rennet made only from kid-stomach milk curd; made October–July.

Rind
Hard, greasy, rush marks; white to pale straw, ochre when aged; possible mould
Size
1.0–2.0 kg; Ø 15–20 cm, height 8–14 cm
  1. Prepare the milk
  2. Set the curd1 h · 30–35 °C
  3. Cut and drain the curd
  4. Mould and salt
  5. Ripen
Pecorino di AmatriceItaly, Lazio

Hard ewe pecorino with an oil-and-vinegar blackened rind, the traditional cheese for spaghetti all'amatriciana; never salty.

Rind
Fairly thick, hard, oily; deep yellow or black (oil and vinegar treatment)
Size
2.0–3.0 kg; cylinder, side 8–10 cm
  1. Prepare the milk
  2. Cook the curd
  3. Ripen6–12 months
Pecorino di FarindolaItaly, Abruzzo

Only pecorino coagulated with pig rennet; paste stays moist and friable even when long aged, with herbaceous, animal and mushroom notes. A consortium of 26 producers protects it.

Rind
Ochre-yellow, rush marks; harder with age
Size
1–2 kg; Ø 14–22 cm, height 7–8 cm
  1. Prepare the milk
  2. Set the curd20–30 min · 36–37 °C
  3. Cook the curd
  4. Mould and salt
Pecorino di Filiano PDOBasilicata

kid/lamb paste; caves

Milk
sheep milk, raw
Ripening
≥90 d

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Pecorino di Picinisco PDOLazio
Milk
sheep milk, (+G)
Ripening
≥30 d

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Pecorino ligure di malgaItaly, Liguria

Pecorino linked to transhumant flocks from Bergamo valleys and Piedmont that wintered in Liguria (November–May) and sold ricotta and cheese on the coast.

Rind
Clean, smooth, possibly mould-spotted; straw to brown with age
Size
Ø 15–20 cm; height 6–10 cm (dolce), 10–13 cm (stagionato); weight n.d.
  1. Prepare the milk
  2. Set the curd
  3. Cut and drain the curd
  4. Mould and salt
  5. Ripen20 days – 2 months
Pecorino Sardo PDO (dolce/maturo)Sardinia

semi-cooked

Milk
sheep milk
Ripening
dolce 20–60 d; maturo ≥2 mo

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Pecorino Toscano PDOTuscany

softer pecorino

Milk
sheep milk
Ripening
fresco ≥20 d; stagionato ≥4 mo

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Piacentinu Ennese PDOEnna

saffron and peppercorns in paste

Milk
sheep milk
Ripening
≥60 d

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Queijo de Cabra do Pinhal MaiorPortugal, Centro

Raw goat milk, still warm from milking, is set with animal rennet in about 30–40 minutes. The curd is cut, drained slowly by hand in adjustable hoops and dry-salted one face at a time, with washing and scraping between turns. The cheeses ripen 30 days (semicurado) or 60–90 days (curado), and the 'de azeite' type is kept in local olive oil for a time the makers keep secret.

Size
'Prato' 400–600 g, 15–20 cm across, 3–5 cm high; queijinhos about 6 cm across and no more than 150 g
  1. Filter the warm milk
  2. Set with animal rennet30–40 min
  3. Cut and rest
  4. Drain slowly in the hoops
  5. Salt face by face, washing and scraping12–24 h
  6. Ripen30 days – 3 months
  7. Immerse in olive oil (de azeite type)

Safety: Made from raw milk; the published description gives no ripening temperature or minimum time beyond 30 days for the half-cured cheese.

Queijo de Évora PDOAlentejo

thistle; hard small

Milk
sheep milk, raw

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Queijo de Nisa PDOAlentejo

thistle; pitted paste

Milk
sheep milk, raw
Ripening
≥45 d

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Queijo de TomarPortugal, Ribatejo Norte

Sheep milk from the morning milking is warmed by the hearth or in a water bath to 29–35 °C and set in 30–50 minutes, mainly with cardoon in a cloth bundle ('boneca'), sometimes with rennet. The curd is cut and crumbled on the francela, pressed by hand into tiny hoops and salted on both sides. After 1–2 days of draining the 30–40 g cheeses cure for 21 days, turned regularly.

Size
30–40 g; about 5 cm across and 4 cm high
  1. Strain the morning milk
  2. Warm and set with cardoon30–50 min · 29–35 °C
  3. Cut and crumble on the francela
  4. Fill tiny hoops, press and salt
  5. Drain before unmoulding24 h – 2 days
  6. Cure21 days

Safety: The published description does not say whether the milk is raw or heated, and gives no ripening temperature.

Queijo Serra da Estrela PDOPortugal

thistle coagulant; runny

Milk
sheep milk, raw (Bordaleira)
Ripening
≥30 d

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Queso añejoMexico

aged; chili-rubbed version (enchilado)

Milk
cow/goat milk

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Queso de La Serena PDOBadajoz

thistle rennet

Milk
sheep milk, raw
Ripening
≥60 d

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Queso de Mallorca (incl. Oveja Roja Mallorquina)Spain, Balearic Islands

Also called formatge de Mallorca, formatge d'ovella roja mallorquina, Mallorcan sheep cheese, queso de Llucmajor.

A small raw sheep-milk cheese of Mallorca, sometimes mixed with goat milk. In the Oveja Roja Mallorquina version the milk is warmed to 32 °C and set in about 30 minutes with a cardoon-flower coagulant, shaped in cotton cloths into the traditional fogasser form, pressed eight hours, salted, and ripened about two months, its dry rind rubbed with oil.

Shape and size
Square with rounded edges, about 6 cm high and 15 cm across, 300–1,000 g
Season
Ewes milked from October to the end of June; no cheese in summer
  1. Warm the raw milk32 °C
  2. Set with cardoon coagulant30 min
  3. Cut and shape in cloth
  4. Press and salt8 h
  5. Ripen and oil the rind2 months

Safety: The cheese is made from raw milk. ANSES advises pregnant women, young children, people over 65 and people with weak immunity not to eat raw-milk cheeses other than pressed cooked ones, because of Listeria, Salmonella and Shiga-toxin E. coli.

Queso Palmero PDOLa Palma

smoked with pine, almond shells, cactus

Milk
goat milk, raw
Ripening
≥8 d

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Queso pata de muloSpain, Castile and León

Also called queso de encella, angilla.

Log-shaped hard sheep cheese, the aged form of Villalón fresh cheese; blind, flaky paste.

Rind
Yellow to ochre
Size
Log ('mule's leg') shape
  1. Prepare the milk
  2. Set the curd
  3. Mould and salt
  4. Ripen3–6 months
Roncal PDONavarre

first Spanish DO cheese (1981)

Milk
sheep milk, raw
Ripening
≥4 mo

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

Sardo (Argentina)Argentina

cow-milk pecorino imitation

Milk
cow milk

Made like Hard pressed ewe cheese family (Manchego and Pecorino Romano as templates).

SolaItaly, Piemonte

Also called Sora, Soera.

Flat, shoe-sole-shaped ('suola') pressed ewe/goat cheese formed in cloth, not moulds.

Size
1.0–3.0 kg; rough rectangular slab, long side 15–25 cm, side 3–4 cm
  1. Prepare the milk
  2. Set the curd
  3. Mould and salt
  4. Ripen
Torta de BarrosSpain, Extremadura

Runny cardoon-set Merino torta from Badajoz, outside the Torta del Casar and La Serena DOP areas.

Rind
Firm rind over a soft, runny centre
  1. Prepare the milk
  2. Set the curd
  3. Ripen

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