Pistoia Mountain Pecorino

In the mountains around Pistoia, some families still make sheep’s milk cheeses in the same way as they did a hundred years ago. They take their sheep up to pasture in the mountain meadows, use natural rennet and would never dream of pasteurizing their milk (making them a rarity among Tuscan cheesemakers). They raise black Massese sheep, feeding them only hay, corn, bran and oats in the winter. With their milk—available year-round because the breed gives birth three times every two years—the cheesemaking farmers produce excellent pecorino, and also raviggiolo and ricotta.

Season

The cheese can be found year-round, with respect for the Massese lactation cycle, but the fresh pecorino is best in the spring and fall