A guide to the cheeses of Sardinia and Sicily — Pecorino Sardo, Fiore Sardo, Pecorino Siciliano, ricotta salata, and Italy's island cheese traditions.
Italy's great islands, Sardinia and Sicily, have ancient and distinctive cheese traditions shaped by sheep herding, sun, and sea. From smoky Sardinian pecorinos to Sicily's ricotta-based specialties, island cheese is bold, rustic, and deeply tied to local life. Here's a guide.
Island Cheese Traditions
Sardinia and Sicily, set in the Mediterranean, developed cheese traditions rooted in pastoralism, especially sheep herding, going back thousands of years. Their warm climates favored sheep's-milk cheeses, fresh cheeses, and cheeses built to keep. These island cheeses can be intense and characterful, and they play central roles in the islands' beloved cuisines.
Sardinia: Pecorino Country
Sardinia is one of Italy's great sheep's-milk cheese regions — in fact, much of the Pecorino Romano sold for the mainland market is made there. Pecorino Sardo is the island's own DOP sheep's cheese, ranging from mild and young to sharp and aged. Fiore Sardo is the traditional artisan smoked pecorino, made by shepherds from raw sheep's milk. And the island is notoriously home to casu marzu, the controversial maggot cheese. Sardinian cheeses are robust, savory, and full of character.
Sicily: Pecorino and Caciocavallo
Sicily has its own sheep's-milk tradition. Pecorino Siciliano is the island's DOP sheep's cheese, often studded with black peppercorns (pepato) and ranging from fresh to aged and sharp. Sicily also makes pasta filata cheeses like Caciocavallo Ragusano (or Ragusano DOP), a firm, stretched-curd cow's-milk cheese in large blocks. These cheeses reflect both pastoral and southern-Italian stretched-curd traditions.
Ricotta: Fresh, Salted, and Baked
Ricotta is hugely important on both islands, but especially in Sicily, where it's the soul of the island's famous desserts. Fresh ricotta fills cannoli and cassata, two iconic Sicilian sweets. Ricotta salata — salted, pressed, and dried — is grated over pasta dishes like pasta alla Norma, while baked (infornata) and smoked ricottas add further variety. The range of ricotta-based cheeses is a hallmark of Sicilian cooking.
How to Enjoy Island Cheese
A Sardinian and Sicilian cheese experience might include a wedge of aged Pecorino Sardo or smoky Fiore Sardo, a peppercorn-studded Pecorino Siciliano, and fresh ricotta with honey, plus ricotta salata grated over pasta. Pair with the islands' bold wines — Cannonau from Sardinia, Nero d'Avola from Sicily — and crusty bread, olives, and honey. For dessert, a Sicilian cannolo filled with sweet ricotta is essential.
Pairings
Island cheeses pair with the bold local wines — Sardinia's Cannonau and Sicily's Nero d'Avola — as well as with honey, which beautifully offsets the savory pecorinos. Crusty bread, olives, and the islands' produce complete the experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cheeses is Sardinia known for?
Sheep's-milk pecorinos — Pecorino Sardo and the smoked artisan Fiore Sardo — plus much of the Pecorino Romano made for the mainland, and the notorious casu marzu.
What cheese is used in Sicilian cannoli?
Fresh ricotta, sweetened, is the classic filling for cannoli and cassata, two iconic Sicilian desserts.
What is ricotta salata?
Salted, pressed, and dried ricotta — firm enough to grate — classically used over Sicilian pasta dishes like pasta alla Norma.