This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Thanks to a global marketplace, Utahns can enjoy many cheeses from around the world. This week we explore: Fiore Sardo (Sardinian flower)

What it is • This raw sheep's milk cheese has been in production over 2,000 years. The Etruscans were the first to make this cheese, which was originally smoked over open fires and rubbed with olive oil and sheep fat and then ripened. Nowadays, this "protected production cheese" (denominazione di origine protetta) is still produced from the milk of the same breed of Sardinian sheep the Etruscans used, but now sports a black waxy rind on the 3- to 8-pound wheels.

Once the wheels have been formed, they're washed in brine, lightly smoked and left to ripen for six months or longer in the cool caves in central Sardinia. The interior is off-white to straw yellow, and its flavor is nutty, mineraly, slightly smoky and gamy, with a tiny bit of pungency and saltiness, followed by a clean finish. Its flavor will sharpen over time.

How to use • Use as a table cheese or a grating cheese.

Storage • Wrap in parchment paper, then tightly in plastic wrap to keep it airtight. Store in the refrigerator for up to a couple of months.

Wine and beer ideas • Lean red wines such as some chiantis. As for beer, try it with a pale ale or pilsner.

Cost • $15.95 at Caputo's Market & Deli, 314 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City; 801-531-8669.

Got a cheese idea? E-mail lneilson@sltrib.com. —

Pesto a la Genovese

Note: Here's a mortar-and-pestle recipe, adapted from the one used by the chef at Manuelina restaurant in Recco, Italy. If you're serving the sauce with pasta, stir a tablespoon of the pasta cooking water into the sauce before tossing with pasta.

36 basil leaves

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (See note.)

1 small clove garlic, minced

1⁄4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 tablespoon each, grated fiore sardo cheese and parmesan cheese

1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place the basil, pine nuts, garlic and salt in a mortar. Crush all the ingredients with a pestle until combined; gradually add the cheese, mixing in with the pestle between each addition until well mixed. Transfer the mixture into a medium bowl; gradually add the oil, a little at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon to a creamy consistency. Taste for seasoning; add more salt if desired.

Note • To toast pine nuts, cook in a small, dry frying pan over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Serves • 4

Source: Fred Plotkin, Manuelina restaurant in Recco, Italy