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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 22 MAY 2011 39 Pecorino Parmeggiano Reggiano takes the spotlight when it comes to Italian hard cheeses, with its crystalline textures and deep f lavours. Howev- er it is not the only hard cheese that comes out of Italy worth shouting about. Pecorino cheeses refer to all Ital- ian cheeses made with ewe's milk, hence its name – pecora being the Italian word for sheep. Though Pecorino is made throughout Italy and Sicily, the nu- merous varieties differ in flavour and texture according to the region it is produced in. The most famous variety outside of Italy is the Pecorino Romano. DOP protected, it is mostly manu- factured on the island of Sardinia, though production is also allowed in Lazio and the Tuscan province of Grosseto. Other popular protected varie- ties are the Pecorino Sardo, from Sardinia, Pecorino Toscano and the Pecorino Siciliano. All come in a variety of styles depending on how long they have been aged. The more matured cheeses, referred to as stagionato ("seasoned" or "aged"), are harder but still crumbly in texture and have decidedly buttery and nutty f lavours. The other two types semi- stagionato and fresco have a softer texture and milder cream and milk tastes. In Southern Italy, it is traditional to add black peppercorns or red chilli f lakes to Pecorino, producing what is called Pecorino Pepato – lit- erally, "peppered Pecorino". Today many other additions are made, for example walnuts or rucola or tiny pieces of white or black truff le. In Sardinia, the larvae of the cheese f ly are intentionally intro- duced into Pecorino Sardo to pro- duce a local delicacy called casu marzu. Fiore Sardo is a variety of pecorino from Sardinia, made us- ing rennet derived from wild flow- ers. A good Pecorino Stagionato is of- ten the finish of a meal, served with pears and walnuts or drizzled with strong chestnut honey. It is also of- ten used to finish pasta dishe, and used to be the natural choice for most Italian regions from Umbria down to Sicily, rather than the more expensive Parmeggiano Reggiano. It is still preferred today for the pas- ta dishes of Rome and Lazio, par- ticularly in pasta all'amatriciana, pasta cacio and pasta alla Gricia. The aromatic Pecorino delle Crete Senesi comes from Tuscany, and is coated with tomato paste; Pecorino Toscano is a milder, tomato-less version. Pecorino Siciliano Canes- trato comes in various forms, in- cluding the fresh Tuma, a half-rip- ened version (called Primusali), and a mature one suitable for grating. Pecorino dolce is a lightly salted example of the cheese and is usu- ally eaten fresh. RECIPE OF THE WEEK maltatoday, SUNDAY, 16 NOVEMBER 2014 FINE FOOD OF THE WEEK Buttery sheep's cheese from Italy FOOD Warm courgette, pecorino and honey salad Serves 2 (as a starter or 1 as a main) Ingredients • 3 small courgettes • A pinch of salt • Extra virgin olive oil • 30g aged Pecorino Romano • Runny honey • Fresh mint • Pine nuts, toasted Method 1. Place a griddle pan on a high heat. 2. While it heats up, slice the courgettes on an angle into medium-large chunks. 3. Put them in a bowl, add a pinch of salt and a drop of olive oil and run your hands through to coat them lightly. 4. Lay them in the hot pan and don't be tempted to move them until they have black char lines. 5. Turn them over and cook for another couple of minutes to chargrill the other side. 6. Using a peeler, shave the Pecorino into a bowl, tip in the courgettes straight from the griddle and mix well. 7. Season to taste with salt. 8. Lavishly trickle over a small drizzle of honey to coat the courgettes lightly while they are still warm, in order to intensify the flavours and bind everything together. 9. Garnish with more shavings of Pecorino, mint and toasted pine nuts. 10. Serve on small plates and eat while still slightly warm. Pecorino Sardo, from the island of Sardinia, has buttery, nutty flavours and is a great addition to salads and pasta dishes