Pecorino Romano DOP: the soul of Roman cuisine
Pecorino Romano DOP is a hard cheese made from pure sheep's milk, with an intense, savoury flavour and the unmistakable sharp note that has made it the signature ingredient of Roman cooking. This format is a vacuum-packed wedge of about 2 kg, supplied in a case of 8 pieces (about 16 kg), ideal for the precise portioning required in a professional kitchen. Aged a minimum of 5 months for table use and 8 months for grating, it carries the PDO mark protected by the dedicated Consortium.
What Pecorino Romano DOP is
Pecorino Romano is one of the oldest cheeses in Italy. The Roman legions already carried it as part of their daily ration thanks to its long shelf life and high nutritional value. Produced exclusively from whole sheep's milk, it has a compact, straw-white paste, a thin natural or protected rind, and a pronounced saltiness that comes from traditional dry salting. The PDO designation guarantees that the milk and the entire production cycle take place within the recognised area.
Geographical origin
By specification, Pecorino Romano DOP is produced only with ewe's milk from sheep raised in the regions of Lazio, Sardinia and the province of Grosseto in Tuscany. Despite its name, the vast majority of production today takes place in Sardinia, where extensive pasture-based farming gives the milk its characteristic aromatic profile. The product distributed by LAPA is supplied by Gennaro Auricchio S.p.A.
The PDO designation and the Consortium
Pecorino Romano holds the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and is safeguarded by the Consortium for the Protection of Pecorino Romano PDO Cheese (authorisation 44/88), certified by an inspection body authorised by the competent ministry. The PDO mark guarantees the origin of the milk, the production method and adherence to the official specification, protecting both the producer and the professional buyer.
Organoleptic characteristics
The paste is hard, compact and slightly grainy, white to straw-yellow in colour. The aroma is intense and the flavour decidedly savoury, with a sharp note that grows more pronounced with longer ageing. Grated, it releases its full aromatic power; in shavings it reveals a crumbly, friable texture. The high salt content makes it a natural flavour enhancer that requires little or no added salt in the dish.
Technical specifications
Hard sheep's-milk cheese, minimum ageing 5 months (table) or 8 months (grating). Vacuum-packed wedge of about 2 kg, case of 8 pieces. Indicative nutritional values per 100 g: 387 kcal / 1605 kJ, fat 32 g (of which saturates 18 g), carbohydrates below 0.5 g (of which sugars 0 g), protein 25 g, salt 5 g. Allergen: milk (sheep). Store refrigerated at 2-4 °C.
Professional kitchen uses
Pecorino Romano DOP is essential in the four pillars of Roman pasta: cacio e pepe (60-80 g grated per serving, emulsified off the heat with starchy cooking water), amatriciana, gricia and carbonara, where it replaces Parmesan for a sharper result. Use it grated at the end of cooking, in shavings over raw artichokes and broad beans in spring, in meatballs and fillings, or melted into a fonduta for grilled vegetables. A common mistake is adding it to a sauce that is too hot, which makes it stringy: always emulsify off direct heat.
Pairings
It pairs beautifully with fresh broad beans, acacia honey and pear, with chestnut honey for a cheese board, and with full-bodied red wines. In the kitchen it works alongside guanciale, durum-wheat pasta, black pepper and extra-virgin olive oil. Discover the complementary LAPA products to build the complete Roman pantry.
Delivery and logistics
B2B and B2C delivery throughout Switzerland from the LAPA warehouse in Embrach (Zurich). Cold chain at 2-4 °C guaranteed by the LAPA fleet across Zurich, Winterthur, Aargau, St. Gallen, Lucerne, Zug, Bern and Basel. For Ticino (Lugano, Bellinzona, Locarno), French-speaking Switzerland (Geneva, Lausanne, Vevey, Sion), Valais and mountain regions (Davos, St. Moritz, Chur) delivery within 24-48 hours via certified food-grade couriers (Swiss Post Frigo-Express, Planzer, Galliker, Camion Transport). Service tailored for restaurants, pizzerias, delicatessens, hotels, gelato shops, pastry labs, Italian grocery stores and private customers passionate about Italian cuisine.
Who it is for
Designed for restaurants, trattorias, pizzerias, delicatessens, hotels, catering and Italian grocery stores that need a reliable, long-keeping PDO sheep's cheese for daily grating and portioning. The vacuum-packed 2 kg wedge in a case of 8 keeps consistent quality and minimises waste in high-volume kitchens.
