First of all, allow us to clear up any confusion. Locatelli is a brand name and Pecorino Romano is a variety of cheese. We like to use the analogy of Kleenex and Tissue Paper: while they are often used interchangeably, not all tissues are Kleenex. Pecorino Romano is by far the most popular variety of grating cheese on the peninsula, and Locatelli is its most famous producer.
Aged, dry, sharp and salty, most people believe it should be considered exclusively a grating cheese, although there are passionate foodies who enjoy snacking on it as is with a formidable red wine. If you are a traditionalist, you will use Pecorino Romano for your southern-Italian pasta dishes like Carbonara and Amatriciana, and choose Parmigiano Reggiano for your Bolognese and Risotto. But everyone who has ever tasted them seems to have their own opinion, so please come up with your own and share it with us.