Skip to main content
Support

Browse by category

All categories
Fermentation Atlas

Hard sheep and goat cheeses

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

142 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
AxriddaItaly, Sardegna3 months – 2 yearsClay-coated, thin, smooth or slightly rough, grey or hazel
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
Cacio di nonno Nino di Montalto di CastroItaly, Lazio2–6 monthsThin, semi-hard, ochre or greyish, oily from the olive-oil treatment, with basket marks
Cacio-ricottaItaly, Molise6 months
CaciocapraItaly, Veneto2–6 months
Caciotta degli ElimiItaly, Sicily, province of Trapani, the communes of Calatafimi and Vitaat least 3 monthsThin, straw-yellow, smooth or marked by the rush baskets; coated with clear plastic for sale
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 dell'AspromonteItaly, Calabria20 days – 5 months
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)
Caso maturo del MateseItaly, Campaniaat least 6 monthsFirm, rough, moist, deep hazelnut
Caso VallicelliItaly, Campania3–8 monthsFirm, grey with cave moulds
Casu ré pecóra del MateseItaly, Campaniaat least 7 daysBasket-marked and white when fresh, nearly smooth and straw-yellow when semi-aged, rough and brown when aged
Casuforte di StatiglianoItaly, Campania6 months – 2 yearsThin, rough, fairly hard, slightly oily; ivory turning reddish with age
Conciato di San VittoreItaly, Lazio45 days – 3 monthsVery thin, light straw, covered with the herb rub
EricinoItaly, Sicilia20 days – 4 monthsSmooth, fairly thin, straw to light brown; oily from the olive-oil and chilli rub
FatulìItaly, Lombardia30 days – 3 monthsYellow to brown from the smoke, with grooves left by the grill
Fiore Sardo PDOItaly, the whole of SardiniaRaw whole sheep milk from local Sardinian breeds onlyAt least 3.5 months for table cheese and 6 months for grating cheese
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 caprino della LiminaItaly, Calabria8–12 monthsHard and thin with rush marks, kept oiled with olive oil and vinegar
Formaggio di capra sicilianoItaly, Sicilia20 daysNone (fresh) or rough with basket marks, white-yellowish to light ochre, oiled
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 di Santo Stefano di QuisquinaItaly, Siciliaat least 6 monthsHard, deep straw yellow, marked by the rush basket, sometimes oiled
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
Formaggio pecorino dei BericiItaly, Veneto2–3 monthsFairly thin, slightly hard, straw yellow
Formaggio pecorino fresco di malgaItaly, Veneto15 daysThin, soft, smooth, white-straw
Formatge serrat (queso serrat)Spain, Cataloniaat least 30 daysVery thin and smooth, waxy-looking, yellow, with no cracks
Idiazabal PDOBasque Country and northern Navarre, SpainRaw milk of Latxa and Carranzana sheepAt least 60 days
Il Fossa del GreppoItaly, Toscanaat least 3 monthsThin, slightly wrinkled, greasy, grey-brown with mould spots
Il grande vecchio di MontefollonicoItaly, Toscanaat least 9.9 monthsThick, hard, oily, beige to light brown with basket marks
Incanestrato di Castel del MonteItaly, Abruzzo4–10 monthsHard, straw-yellow, with the mark of the rush baskets; softer in young cheese
Istarski ovčji sir / Istrski ovčji sirCroatia and Slovenia, Istria2–12 monthsSmooth and even; a clear polymer coat is allowed. The Croatian specification describes it as lemon- to dark-yellow, the EU single document as yellow-brown to brown
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 mixture3 months
Krčki sirCroatia, island of KrkRaw ewe milk, not heat-treated; 7.81 % fat, 5.59 % protein, pH 6.66 on average2–4 months
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
MaiorchinoItaly, Sicilia8 monthsFairly thin, hard and oily, amber-yellow turning brown
Maiorchino di Novara di SiciliaItaly, Sicilia30 days – 2 yearsFairly thin, hard, oily, amber-yellow turning brown
Marzolino di LucardoItaly, Toscana30–40 daysThin, slightly wrinkled with the cloth's weave; pale straw or orange-pink
Marzolino o MarzolinaItaly, Lazio30 days – 3.9 monthsAbsent or a thin skin, white or ivory
Mihaliç peyniriTurkey, Marmara regionRaw sheep and cow milk in artisanal cheese; no starter3 months
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
Paški sir PDOCroatia, island of Pag and the islets of Maun and ŠkrdaWhole milk of the native Pag sheep, raw or heat-treatedAt least 60 days
Pecorino a crosta fioritaItaly, Toscana2–3 monthsBloomy, wrinkled 'felt' of white or grey mould
Pecorino a latte crudo abbucciatoItaly, Toscana20 days – 2 monthsClean, edible; becomes slightly thick and elastic with a marked rim
Pecorino a latte crudo della montagna pistoieseItaly, Toscanaat least 2 monthsSoft to hard, smooth, straw to grey-brown
Pecorino a latte crudo della Provincia di SienaItaly, Toscanaat least 2 monthsTreated with olive oil, smooth, straw-yellow, moderately thin
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 alle erbe aromaticheItaly, Toscana30–45 daysNone as such; the herb coat is brown-green over a straw-yellow surface
Pecorino bagnoleseItaly, Campaniaat least 20 daysClean or treated with oil, wax, lard, or oil and chilli powder
Pecorino Crotonese PDOItaly, Calabria2–3 months
Pecorino d'AbruzzoItaly, Abruzzo3–12 monthsHard, straw-yellow, marked by the rush baskets; softer when young
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 CasentinoItaly, Toscanaat least 20 daysOrange-peel texture; white to pale straw (fresh), golden to light brown (aged)
Pecorino del MateseItaly, Moliseat least 2 monthsHard, ridged by the rush baskets, hazel darkening with age
Pecorino del Monte MarzanoItaly, Campania2–12 monthsTreated with oil and vinegar, fairly thick, wrinkled with basket marks, golden to brown
Pecorino del Parco di Migliarino-San RossoreItaly, Toscana2 monthsFairly thin, fairly hard, slightly wrinkled, white to light 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 protected with olive oil or tomato conserve
Pecorino del PollinoItaly, Calabria3–5 monthsHard, straw-yellow to brown, rush marks, possible mould residues
Pecorino dell'Appennino ReggianoItaly, Emilia-Romagna30 days – 12 monthsPale white-yellow (soft) to brown with grey-green moulds (semi-hard)
Pecorino della Costa ApuanaItaly, Toscana2 monthsSlightly wrinkled; ivory to light brown with age
Pecorino della Garfagnana e delle Colline LucchesiItaly, Toscana30 days – 3 monthsThin, slightly wrinkled; straw-yellow when fresh, dark yellow to brown when aged
Pecorino della LocrideItaly, Calabria40–50 minFairly hard, marked by the rush baskets; white or light straw when young, ochre when aged
Pecorino della LunigianaItaly, Toscanaat least 20 daysFairly smooth; deep straw-yellow, ochre when aged
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 della vallata Stilaro-AllaroItaly, Calabria4–10 monthsHard and wrinkled, with rush-basket marks; white to ochre
Pecorino delle Balze Volterrane DOPItaly, Toscanaup to 10 days
Pecorino delle cantine di RoccalbegnaItaly, Toscanaat least 3 monthsHard, amber and greasy, with many white and grey cellar moulds, or coloured by the treatment
Pecorino delle colline senesiItaly, Toscanaat least 20 daysThin; white to light straw when fresh, yellow-brown to brown when aged
Pecorino di AmatriceItaly, Lazio6–12 monthsFairly thick, hard, oily; deep yellow or black from the oil and vinegar treatment
Pecorino di AtriItaly, Abruzzo40 days – 2 yearsHard, straw-yellow, with the print of the rush basket; softer when young
Pecorino di CapracottaItaly, Molise2 months – 2 yearsHard, ridged by the basket, straw-yellow to hazel; may show mould spots
Pecorino di CarmascianoItaly, Campania3 months – 2 yearsOily, basket-ridged, deep yellow to brown; sometimes dusted with chilli
Pecorino di FarindolaItaly, Abruzzo4–12 monthsHard, ochre-yellow, with rush-basket marks; softer and paler when young
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 Filiano PDOItaly, BasilicataRaw whole sheep milk, used within 24 hours of the first milkingAt least 180 days
Pecorino di LaticaudaItaly, Campania2–12 monthsThin and soft when fresh, thicker, harder and oily when aged; straw to light brown, or red from a pepper sauce

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