Difference Between Parmesan and Pecorino

Parmesan vs Pecorino

Cheese has been consumed by man since ancient times. Although it is not clear when it started, cheese consumption probably started in the Middle East and Central Asia where people usually kept their food inside the inflated internal organs of animals, particularly the stomach.
Milk may have been placed in the stomach of an animal which has rennet, an enzyme that turns milk into curd and whey. Different places make different kinds of cheese from the milk of cows, goats, sheep, buffaloes, and ewes.
The flavors, textures, and forms of cheese vary depending on the process employed in making the cheese. It can be flavored with herbs and spices and curdled by adding vinegar or lemon juice. There are several hundred types of cheese, and they are categorized as follows:

Soft to hard cheese which depends on the moisture content, pressure, and aging time.
Fresh, whey, and curd cheese which can easily spoil.
Soft-ripened, wash rind, and blue-vein cheese which depends on the presence of mold.
Processed cheese which is made with additional ingredients, colorings, and preservatives.
Content which depends on the type of animal that produces the milk, such as:

Parmesan cheese, which is from cow’s milk, and Pecorino cheese, which is from ewe’s milk. These two types of cheese have different textures and flavors. Parmesan is fruity and peppery with a hard and grainy texture. It is also called Parmigiano-Reggiano and is made only in Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, and Mantova, Italy. It is made by mixing fresh, raw cow’s milk with the skimmed milk of the previous evening.
Pecorino cheese, on the other hand, is hard, salty, nutty, buttery, and has a crumbly texture. A few other ingredients like peppercorns, chili flakes, walnuts, or truffles are also added. There are four types of Pecorino cheese:

Pecorino Romano which is produced in Sardinia, Lazio, and Grosseto. It is the most popular type.
Pecorino Sardo which is also produced in Sardinia.
Pecorino Toscano which is produced in Southern Tuscany.
Pecorino Siciliano which is produced in Sicily.

While both are excellent for use in cooking and may even give similar tastes to a recipe, Pecorino is less expensive than Parmesan and is more widely used. Fresh Pecorino is softer and is lighter in color and taste.
Summary:

1.Parmesan is a cheese made from cow’s milk while Pecorino is a cheese made from ewe’s milk.
2.Parmesan cheese is more expensive than Pecorino.
3.Both are hard cheeses, but Pecorino can be soft while it is still young and fresh.
4.The taste of Parmesan is fruity and peppery while the taste of Pecorino is nutty, buttery, and salty.
5.The texture of Parmesan is hard and grainy while the texture of Pecorino is hard and crumbly.
6.Parmesan, which is also called Parmigiano-Reggiano, is made in Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, and 7.Mantova, Italy while Pecorino is made in Sardinia, Lazio, Grosseto, Tuscany, and Sicily, Italy.
8.Parmesan has a stronger taste than Pecorino.

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