Pecorino siciliano (lit. 'Sicilian pecorino') is an origin-protected firm sheep's milk cheese produced in the Sicily region of Italy. This cheese comes from the classical Greek world: in ancient times it was recognized as one of the best cheeses in the world. It is produced throughout the island, but especially in the provinces of Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Enna, Trapani, and Palermo. It is a pecorino-style cheese, like its close relation pecorino romano, but not as well known outside Italy as the latter. A semi-hard white cheese, it has a cylindrical shape and a weight of about 12 kg. The cheese was awarded with the denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) status in 1955 and the European Union protected designation of origin (PDO) status in 1996.