Pecorino di Filiano PDO is a hard cheese, produced with whole sheep’s milk from animals belonging to Gentile di Puglia and Lucania, Leccese, Comisana, Sarda breeds and their cross-breeds. The importance of sheep breeding in the production area dates back to at least the Roman conquest of this territory, if not earlier, when the shepherds produced sheep’s cheese during the migration of the flocks. The expansion of dairy production continued into the Sveva and Angioina Age, increasing further in the XVI-XVII centuries with the Doria, feudal lords of the Vulture area, who organized specialised structures for production on the manor farms that reared sheep. In the Municipality of Filiano, where the cheese takes its name from, there has been an annual festival for 41 years, evoking history, tradition and emphasising the value of Pecorino di Filiano PDO.
Pecorino di Filiano PDO has a cylindrical shape with flat surfaces, a diameter of 15 to 30 cm and an edge of 8 to 18 cm; its weight varies from 2.5 to 5 kg. The rind is characterised by the marks left by the basket where it was shaped; it is golden yellow to dark brown in colour, depending on the length of the ripening period. The cheese is grainy and crumbly and has a white to straw yellow colour. It has a compact consistency, with small eyes randomly dispersed throughout. The fresh cheese has a sweet and delicate flavour, while it becomes slightly piquant when the minimum level of ripening has been reached. The aroma is reminiscent of sheep’s milk, with hints of grass and roasted hazelnuts in the very mature typology.
Pecorino di Filiano PDO should be conserved in cool dry places or, if in pieces, in the least cold compartment of the fridge, sealed in a glass or plastic container. This product can be eaten on its own as optimal table cheese. Due to its flavour, it is a natural accompaniment to many strong-flavoured dishes that are typical of Lucana cuisine, especially grated over fresh pasta with ragù.
PDO (Protected Designation of Origin)(ES). Protected designation of origińe (PDO) stands for a product for which the principal steps for production are done following a well-established technique within the same geographical area, which gives the product its characteristics. Year of registration 2007
No
No
341 kcal per 100 gr.
23.5 gr. per 100 gr.
35 gr. per 100 gr.
30 %
4,5 - Individual visits per month (average)
128 - All individual visits
10 12 2016 - Date of publication of this article
