The main difference between Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano is that Pecorino Romano is made from sheep’s milk while Parmigiano Reggiano is made from cow’s milk.
Both Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano are hard Italian cheeses. They are traditional cheeses, and manufacturers have to follow many strict criteria in manufacturing them.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Pecorino Romano
– Definition, Features
2. What is Parmigiano Reggiano
– Definition, Features
3. Difference Between Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano Reggiano, Cheese
What is Pecorino Romano
Pecorino Romano is a hard Italian cheese made completely with sheep’s milk. This milk usually comes from sheep fed on pastures in Lazio, the island of Sardinia, and the province of Grosseto in Tuscany. Manufacturers only make this cheese in its areas of origins using traditional methods. In fact, Pecorino Romano is one of the four sheep milk kinds of cheese that is under the P.D.O status.
Pecorino Romano has a smooth and thin natural rind and a crumbly texture. Its color can vary from white to pale straw. This cheese also has a sharp, salty flavor and is perfect for flavoring and grating dishes. Its salty taste increases with age. Due to this distinctive taste, chefs commonly use it for Italian pasta recipes with heavily flavored sauces. They generally use it in sauces of a Roman origin, like spaghetti alla carbonara, spaghetti cacio e pepe, and bucatini all’amatriciana. Pecorino Romano cheese are mostly cylindrical in shape. Moreover, they weigh between 20 kg and 35 kg. Manufacturers typically mark cheese with a symbol of a sheeps’ head inside a diamond. They also stamp the rind with dotted letters that spell out the area of designation.
What is Parmigiano Reggiano
Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard Italian cheese. It is made with cow’s milk. This cheese has a hard light golden colored rind and a straw-colored interior. It has a rich, sharp flavor, and most would describe this flavor as savory, spicy, salty, caramelized, and nutty. It is this rich and complex flavor that makes this cheese so popular. Some also call Parmigiano-Reggiano as the “King of Cheeses.”
Furthermore, Parmigiano Reggiano is a traditional cheese, and cheese manufacturers who manufacture it have to follow many strict criteria. Most importantly, Parmigiano Reggiano should be produced in the regions of Parma, Bologna, Mantua, or Modena in Italy. Moreover, manufacturers must make this cheese from unpasteurized cows’ milk, and it must undergo aging at least 14 months. In addition, it is only made between April 15 to November 11 to make sure the milk is from cows that pasture on fresh grass, not silage. Manufacturers generally make cheese into large drum-shaped wheels that weigh between 66 pounds and 88 pounds. Furthermore, on the rind of the cheese, you can observe the name “Parmigiano-Reggiano,” the date of manufacture, and the code number that indicates the location of manufacture.
Difference Between Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano
Definition
Pecorino Romano is a hard Italian cheese made completely with sheep’s milk, while Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard Italian cheese made with cow’s milk.
Milk
Moreover, Pecorino Romano is made from sheep’s milk, but Parmigiano Reggiano is made from cow’s milk.
Appearance
Parmigiano Reggiano has a golden color, with a waxy rind, whereas Pecorino Romano has a white or pale straw color with a waxy mottled black rind.
Taste
Pecorino Romano is saltier and tangy, whereas Parmigiano Reggiano is nutty and a bit milder.
Conclusion
Both Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano are hard Italian cheeses. The main difference between Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano is that manufacturers make Pecorino Romano from sheep’s milk while manufacturers make Parmigiano Reggiano from cow’s milk.
Reference:
1. Meier, Jennifer. “Serving and Cooking with Parmigiano-Reggiano, King of Italian Cheese.” The Spruce Eats.
2. Phillips, Kyle. “Pecorino Romano: A Classic Italian Sheep’s Milk Cheese.” The Spruce Eats.
3. “Pecorino Romano.” Cheese.com – World’s Greatest Cheese Resource.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Pecorino, romano, cheese” (CC0) via Pixino
2. “Parmigiano-Reggiano at Eataly in Stockholm” By Sinikka Halme – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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