Pecorino Romano DOP Crosta Nera is a sheep's milk cheese made in Sardinia, aged for at least five months and recognizable by its black rind. What makes it special is its historical style: this is precisely the intense, salty, and dry pecorino without which cacio e pepe would just be a bad decision.

The cheese is made from thermized Sardinian sheep's milk by the CAO Formaggi cooperative, which brings together hundreds of small producers. Pecorino Romano's roots stretch back to ancient Rome, when its nutritional value and saltiness made it practically military rations before the term "performance fuel" had even been invented.

The texture is hard and firm, the taste intense, salty, and milky. Grate it over pasta, use it in ravioli filling, or serve it with fava beans and artichokes; it pairs well with a Roman-style lager, a dry white wine, or a robust red wine.