Primo Sale di Pecora Bianco Re

Sheep's Milk – Bracciano

The milky sweetness of freshly milked sheep in a very fresh cheese

The First White Sheep's Salt King of Sergio Pitzalis

Sergio Pitzalis' Primo Sale di Pecora Bianco Re is an ultra-fresh cheese that captures the essence of sheep's milk at its purest and most delicate: freshly curdled, briefly salted, and consumed within a few days of production when it expresses its full milky sweetness, smooth creaminess, and freshness that immediately evokes green pastures, grazing sheep, and the pastoral cheesemaking tradition of Lazio. Made with sheep's milk from Bracciano—a lakeside area in northern Lazio historically suited to sheep herding thanks to fertile pastures, a temperate climate, and centuries-old cheesemaking tradition—this Primo Sale represents the beginning of the maturation process for sheep's cheeses: it is literally the cheese that receives the "first salting" (hence the name) and is consumed ultra-fresh, without aging, unlike mature pecorino cheeses that require weeks or months of aging to develop flavor, spiciness, and firmness.

Production follows a simplified traditional cheesemaking process: pasteurized sheep's milk is heated to the optimal temperature (around 35-38°C), inoculated with selected lactic acid bacteria that initiate acid fermentation, added with natural rennet (enzymes that coagulate milk proteins to form curd), left to rest until the curd reaches the optimal consistency, then delicately broken into small pieces, drained of the whey, placed in bundles that give it its characteristic flattened cylindrical shape with surface ridges (imprints of the draining baskets), lightly salted on the surface or in a very short brine bath (a few hours versus the days or weeks of mature pecorino cheeses), and consumed within 3-7 days of production.

Primo Sale has a bright, milky white appearance, a flattened cylindrical shape, and a typical weight of 200-500g. It has a slightly moist surface with clearly visible grooves from the cheese strips. It lacks a rind (it's too young to develop a protective rind). It has a soft, compact but not crumbly texture that cuts easily without crumbling. Its creamy, slightly grainy texture melts pleasantly in the mouth. On the nose, delicate aromas of fresh sheep's milk, sweet cream, and butter emerge, with just a hint of that characteristic "ovine" note that becomes pronounced in aged pecorino cheeses but remains barely noticeable here. On the palate, the flavor is sweet and milky, clean, with a delicate, balanced flavor (the salt is present but not overpowering), a pleasant, fresh acidity brought by the lactic ferments, and a soft, creamy finish that leaves the mouth clean, inviting you to continue tasting.
 
 
 

The roots of Primo Sale are deep in the pastoral tradition of Lazio

Sheep farming in Lazio has ancient origins, dating back to pre-Roman times when Italic populations (Sabines, Latins, Etruscans) raised sheep for wool, meat, and especially milk, which was turned into preservable cheeses. The area of ​​Lazio's volcanic lakes (Bracciano, Vico, Bolsena, Albano), with its fertile pastures enriched by volcanic soils, humid temperate climate, and uninterrupted pastoral tradition, historically became suited to the production of quality sheep's milk cheeses.

Primo Sale represents the simplest and most immediate form of cheesemaking: while aged pecorino cheeses (Pecorino Romano DOP, Pecorino Toscano DOP, and hundreds of local pecorinos) require long aging periods, controlled environments, evaporative weight loss, and a time investment before they can be sold, Primo Sale could be produced and consumed/sold immediately, providing quick cash flow to shepherds. It was the daily cheese of pastoral peasant families, eaten fresh, sliced ​​thickly for breakfast with bread, or grilled, where it develops a crispy golden surface while the center remains creamy and melting.

Today, Primo Sale is being rediscovered and recognized as a niche product offering a completely different taste experience from mature pecorino cheeses: sweetness rather than saltiness, softness rather than firmness, delicacy rather than aromatic power. A cheese that celebrates sheep's milk in its purest form.
 
 
 

Choosing Primo Sale di Pecora means noble proteins and digestibility

Fresh sheep's cheese offers a rich nutritional profile: high biological value proteins (about 18-20g per 100g) with all the essential amino acids, abundant calcium (about 600-800mg per 100g, among the richest cheeses), phosphorus, B vitamins (B2, B12 particularly abundant), vitamin A, fats which in sheep's milk have an interesting profile with the presence of medium and short-chain fatty acids that are more easily digestible than long-chain saturated fats.

Sheep's milk naturally contains more protein, fat, and minerals than cow's milk (it is more "concentrated" and nutritious), but it also has characteristics that often make it better tolerated: smaller and naturally homogenized fat globules that are therefore more digestible, and a slightly different protein structure that some people with cow's milk sensitivities tolerate better (note: NOT suitable for people with a true milk protein allergy who must avoid all dairy products).

The calorie content is moderate for a cheese (about 250-300 kcal per 100g depending on fat content). Lactose is lower than in fresh milk (partially fermented by lactic acid bacteria), but still present in significant quantities, so it may not be tolerated by those with severe intolerances. A nutritious cheese that's deeply filling in moderate portions.
 
 
 

How to Best Use: Primo Sale di Pecora Bianco Re

• NATURAL AND ON CUTTING BOARDS
  Cut the Primo Sale into thick slices (1-2cm) and enjoy it plain, appreciating its sweetness and creaminess. Serve on a cutting board with organic semi-wholemeal country bread, Aeolian green olives, tomatoes, cold cuts. Accompany with honey di acacia o chestnut, jams, organic Sorrento walnuts. Match White wines fresh Lazio.
• GRILLED OR GRILLED
  Cut thick slices (1,5-2cm), heat on a very hot grill or griddle without adding fat, cook the Primo Sale for 2-3 minutes per side until the surface is golden brown and forms a crust while the center remains creamy and melting. Serve immediately with rocket salad, Cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegarAlso excellent breaded and fried.
• SALADS, PASTAS AND VARIOUS PREPARATIONS
  Cut into cubes for salads with vegetables, vegetable, cereals. Grate or crumble on Easter warm where it partially melts, risottos, soupsUse in savory pies, frittatas, and quiches. Spread on bruschetta with grilled vegetables.

The Producer: Sergio Pitzalis

Sergio Pitzalis is an artisan cheesemaker who produces quality sheep's milk cheeses from the Bracciano area, a region in Lazio historically devoted to sheep farming, where fertile pastures around the volcanic lake and centuries-old cheesemaking traditions guarantee excellent raw materials. Specializing in fresh and aged sheep's milk cheeses that express the distinctive sensory characteristics of Lazio sheep's milk, Sergio Pitzalis embodies authentic artisanal cheesemaking, respect for tradition, and a passion for products that reflect the region and its heritage. Each wheel is a testament to careful processing, precise timing, and daily dedication.
 
 
 

Ingredients

Pasteurized sheep's milk, natural rennet, salt, lactic ferments.
 
 
 

Indicative Nutritional Values ​​(per 100g of product)

• Energy: about 250-300 kcal
• Protein: 18-20g (high biological value)
• Fat: 18-22g (of which saturated 12-15g)
• Carbohydrates: 2-4g (residual lactose)
• Calcium: 600-800mg
• Salt: variable (moderate)

Rich in noble proteins, abundant calcium, phosphorus, vitamins B2 and B12, vitamin A.
 
 
 

Allergens

Contains sheep's milk and dairy products. May contain traces of nuts.
 
 
 

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