When to Serve It

Serve this beautiful and rustic dish whenever a quick appetizer or lunch is required. To make assembly even speedier, make a larger quantity of the rosemary olive oil in advance and keep it in a sealed container. Adding this herbal oil to almost anything makes it better (try it drizzled on roasted chicken).

About the Cheese

What is Pecorino?

The word "Pecorino" actually refers to any Italian cheese made of sheep's milk. There are too may to count - some are fresh and young; some are aged so long they crumble. Some have no rind and some are bathed in tomato concentrate or olive oil for flavor and color. The varieties are endless and the flavors diverse. They are also divided regionally - two of the most famous are Pecorino Toscano (from Tuscany) and Pecorino Romano (from Rome). Pecorino Romano (the kind of Pecorino served at this week's First Thursday) is the oldest of all Italian cheese, with origins dating back to the First Century AD.


Play Around with Pecorino

Because Pecorino is so diverse, each style can be used in completely different ways. For instance, a young fresh "Brinata" can simply be sliced and served with fruit. An aged version can be grated over pasta or hot vegetables. And that hard rind from an aged Pecorino? Don't throw it away - just toss it into your simmering sauce and you'll get added depth and flavor (just remove them before serving). Grating note: As always, I recommend buying your cheese in one piece and grating it to order. Pre-grated cheeses will be dry and lacking in flavor. Simply get one of those hand-held plane graters and you'll look like a pro!

Ingredients

Pecorino Romano (about a pound)
This should be firm and chewy. It's salty, sharp flavor will come through best if it is sliced thinly.

Fresh Rosemary (a couple springs)
You really want that hit of fresh rosemary, so don't substitute with the dried version.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1 1/2 cup)
In such a simple dish, this should be good quality.

Honey (2 tablespoons)
Use a very good quality honey - some of the best come from Tuscany, as we had at First Thursday. It should be rich and flavorful.

Walnut Halves (a handful)
Walnut pieces are also fine if that's all you have around - but the halves make a beautiful presentation.

Ground Black Pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon)
Of course, this is to taste. You can always add more or less.

Directions
1. Pound the rosemary with a mortar and pestle until a fine paste is formed (you can also use a food processor). Add the paste to the olive oil and let it soak for a couple hours. Strain out the rosemary and discard it.

2. Whisk together the olive oil and honey until well combined.

3. Place the Pecorino slices on a platter and drizzle with the olive oil and honey mixture. Top with black pepper and walnuts.

That's it! This dish should be served pretty soon after it is made - otherwise, the cheese (which is dry) will absorb the oil and become a bit oil-logged.