Instructions: Yoghurt is made by causing milk to ferment by the introduction of the active bacteria lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophilus. It was brought to the West by the Nomadic Turks and there are mentions of yoghurt in seventh century texts.

Yoghurt is nourishing it helps digestion it is soothing to the nerves and it is believed to have therapeutic qualities particularly for intestinal trouble. All in all it is a general restorative. It is used daily in Turkey and the middle East where it will be found in many salads and dips. It is also popular in Greece where a bowl of creamy yoghurt is often served with thick honey and topped with walnuts. In Turkey it is made into a cooling drink called ayran.

Plain yoghurt gives a creaminess to curry sauces and is used also in desserts. In India most meals have plain yoghurt or yoghurt sauces and drinks as an accompaniment to neutralise the hot spices and aid digestion.

Pecorino info

Pecorino is an italian cheese made from ewesmilkhence its name pecora meaning sheep which is produced in different regions of Italy and has different flavours from soft sweet and mellow to harder more savoury and salty. The cheese made in Tuscany is called Pecorino Toscano and that from Sardinia Pecorino Sardo. Pecorino Romano made in and around Rome can be quite hard and a bit too salty.

The textures and tastes of the cheeses vary firstly because of the feed on which the ewes will have been grazing but more importantly because of its degree of maturity. The fresh variety can be between one and two months old and the harder and more pungent saltier variety will be about six months old.

It is important to taste the cheese before buying it. For instance when using it to make pesto a fresher milder variety would be best. For pasta fillings such as the Chard Cannelloni with Pine Nuts (qv) the harder more mature variety is more suitable.

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