At Paluffo, our passion for Tuscany’s authentic flavors leads us to discover and celebrate the region’s finest products. Among these, sheep cheeses represent one of our area’s most ancient and deeply-rooted traditions. Each wheel tells a story of pastures, skilled hands, and techniques passed down through centuries. Today we’re taking you on a journey to discover these artisanal treasures, some of which you’ll find in our selection, to rediscover together the deep connection between Tuscany’s land and its most genuine products.
Tuscany, along with Sardinia, leads Italy in sheep cheese production. After all, sheep farming in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans, who as early as the 4th century BC were making cheese from sheep’s milk and vegetable rennet. The territory’s landscape—with its hills, mountains, and clay cliffs rich in wild herbs—creates an environment perfectly suited for pasture-raised sheep. It’s not uncommon to lose yourself in the Tuscan countryside and see entire flocks crossing the rolling fields. This farming tradition combines with centuries of cheese-making wisdom, resulting in diverse production. Let’s explore the most famous Tuscan sheep cheeses together.
Pecorino Toscano DOP
The region’s most characteristic dairy product is Pecorino Toscano DOP, produced throughout Tuscany. Its unique, delicate flavor comes from the perfect balance between nature, environment, and ancient cheese-making tradition. Made with whole sheep’s milk, it comes in two types: fresh (minimum 20-day aging) and aged (at least 120 days aging). The fresh shows a light, tender, buttery paste, while the aged has a hard, crumbly texture. The flavor is sweet and clean in the fresh version, bold but smooth when aged. It works as both a table cheese and grating cheese, depending on aging. Both pair beautifully with fresh vegetables, fruit, jam, and honey.
Also known as “the Etruscans’ pecorino,” Pecorino delle Balze Volterrane DOP is produced in a small area encompassing five municipalities in Pisa province, centered around Volterra. It’s made from raw whole sheep’s milk (from free-range or semi-free-range herds) and vegetable rennet extracted from wild cardoon or artichoke flowers (making it suitable for vegetarians). Depending on aging period, there are four types: fresh, aged, semi-aged, and reserve. It has an intense flavor with vegetal notes from the special rennet (wild artichoke). Enjoy it alone, as an appetizer with cured meats and pickled vegetables, or grated.
Typical of Siena province, Pecorino di Pienza aged in barriques is a hard-paste cheese made from whole, pasteurized sheep’s milk, coagulated with calf rennet. As the name suggests, this pecorino’s main characteristic is its aging process in small oak barrels previously used for wine but retired from cellar use. After all, in a region of great wines, it was inevitable that cheese would eventually end up in barrels too. It has an intense flavor with tannic and grape-marc notes. It’s a table cheese used in appetizers or desserts, pairing well with cured meats, vegetables, fruit, and honey.
A typical product of San Casciano Val di Pesa, bloomy rind pecorino or “toad skin” pecorino is a medium-aged, semi-hard cheese made from whole raw sheep’s milk. It features a characteristic rough rind (hence the name) in white or gray. The Penicillium candidum—an edible microscopic fungus inoculated during production—is responsible for this peculiar rind and consistency. It’s a very flavorful table cheese with a sweet finish and cooked milk notes.
Also called Ravaggiolo or Raveggiolo, Senese sheep Raviggiolo is a very tender cheese made from whole raw sheep’s milk, coagulated with natural powdered rennet (dried lamb stomach) or vegetable coagulant from fig plants. It takes shape from the small bowls where the curd is collected. It’s produced in about twelve dairies in Siena province from March to October and owes its uniqueness to traditional, time-honored production techniques. With a slightly acidic flavor tending toward sweet, it’s a table cheese eaten fresh, usually dressed with extra virgin olive oil and pepper.
Marzolino di Lucardo is a historic cheese, traditionally made by women, whose cheese-making tradition had been lost. Recently revived, it’s made with whole raw sheep’s milk, coagulated with vegetable rennet from dried cardoon flowers (presura). It takes its name from the area where it was originally produced (the village of Lucardo, a hamlet of Montespertoli) and comes in two types: fresh (30-40 days aging) and aged (5-6 months). The fresh has a tender, buttery paste with light herbal notes, while the aged has a fairly compact but neither dry nor hard paste with slight bitter components. Thanks to vegetable rennet, it’s suitable for vegetarians.
This artisanal richness represents an endless source of inspiration for us at Paluffo. In our dishes, we always seek to highlight these exceptional products, creating pairings that respect their identity and history. Whether it’s a tasting board, risotto mantecated with Pecorino Toscano DOP, or a selection of cheeses paired with local honeys, our goal is to give our guests an authentic taste of these ancient flavors. Because every bite at Paluffo is a small journey into Tuscan culinary tradition, where respect for ingredients transforms into pure emotion.
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