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Piacentinu Ennese

sheep cheese flavoured with saffron

Not from Piacenza, but Enna province in central Sicily, Piacentinu Ennese is a dense, raw sheep’s milk cheese flavoured with wild saffron and peppercorns. The fact that the sheep feed mainly wild vetch add to the unique flavour. Many prefer to eat it young, when the flavour is more delicate. It’s delicious with olives, roasted red peppers and a plate of salumeria.

A mosaic depicting King Roger II of Sicily. Photo: Creative Commons/Matthias Süssen, 2007

They say the cheese was first made for King Roger, Sicily’s Norman king in the 12th century. He was depressed, and saffron being considered an anti-depressant, his wife, Queen Adelasia, invited the local cheese-makers to the palace and asked if they could invent a saffron infused pecorino to cheer him up. Although some say it was Adelasia who was depressed. Anyway it was a nice gesture.

Designated PDO.

Cheeses & Dairy Products

DOP (PDO) products and acronyms

Sicily

Slow Food

Text © Dana Facaros & Michael Pauls

Images by ilcavalcatore, Royal Ballet and Opera