Most pecorino is made in Sardinia, but there are fantastic PDO-protected pecorinos produced in Tuscany, Sicily, Basilicata and Calabria too, all with subtle differences in flavour. Look out for these when you're buying, and peruse our collection of pecorino recipes for more inspiration.

When we think of pecorino, we typically think of pecorino romano, a harder, older pecorino that lends itself well to strong cheesy sauces and being grated over pasta. Any sheep's cheese made in Italy can be called a pecorino, but cheeses vary hugely depending on how long they've been aged. Young pecorinos (called pecorino fresco in Italian) have a softer texture and mild, creamier taste compared to old – or stagionato – cheeses, which are rich, crumbly and nutty, with more depth of flavour.

As one of Italy's oldest foods, pecorino is an essential part of classic Italian dishes, like Pasta alla Genovese and Basil pesto. Still, that hasn't stopped some of Italy's more forward-thinking chefs getting creative. Riccardo Camanini's take on the classic Cacio e pepe serves the pasta inside a pig's bladder, whilst Francesco Sposito's Pecorino-stuffed artichokes with guanciale and black truffle and Luigi Sartini's Passatelli pie with chard, broad beans and pecorino are both exciting takes on classic flavour combinations.