Sicilian Cheeses
(some of our Sicilian best products):

Pecorino Cheese , as its name implies, is made from sheep's milk ("pecora" meaning sheep). It is true that Sicily's sheep population is ever diminishing, but, comparing Italian regions, Sardinia only at present raises more sheep than Sicily. It can be flavoured with peppercorns or other spices. Made throughout Sicily, where it may be considered the most widely produced aged cheese, it is ideal for grating over pasta. Its taste, though sharp, is often less pungent and dry than that of Caciocavallo, despite a distinctive flavour and texture (it crumbles and flakes easily).

Caciocavallo Cheese is made from cow's milk, though its cryptic name literally means "horse cheese" - the Sicilian word "cacio" sharing the same root as casein while "cavallo" means horse.

The cheese owes its name to the manner in which two bulbs are attached by a string and suspended from a beam "a cavallo" as though astride a horse to age. It takes at least eight months to age Caciocavallo properly, achieving a sharper flavour in about two years. Caciocavallo is a good complement to stronger wines, and widely used for grating over pasta. Indeed, Sicilian chefs’ favourite to use with pasta dishes. It's usually shaped as a large wheel.

Tuma and Primo Sale Cheeses are known, in some forms, as "Vastedda" in some parts of Sicily, such as the Belice Valley. Made from sheep or cow's milk, it is usually called Tuma when tasted right out of the mould, Primo Sale when salted lightly, and Vastedda when aged slightly longer. Like Pecorino, Tuma is sometimes flavored with peppercorns or other spices. Unlike Pecorino, it does not age well and is best served with ham, wines and fruits as a table cheese. It has a sweet taste not unlike that of Provola, with an equally rubbery texture.

Provola Cheese , which comes in regional Sicilian varieties (Casale Floresta, Nebrodi, Ragusa, Madonie), is made from whole cow's milk. There's also a tasty smoked form, and it's the classical complement to hams. It assumes a sharp flavour when aged. Made using a very old method, Provola is usually formed into a bulb, then suspended from a ribbon or string for aging. This gives it a pear shape, with each bulb weighing a kilogram or less.