Fresh cheese
Ricotta
Italy. Traditionally made by re-heating the whey left from other cheeses — the name means 'recooked'.
PDORicotta Romana. Sheep's-milk whey ricotta from Lazio; most ricotta is unprotected.
Profile
- Milk
- Whey from cow's, sheep's, goat's or buffalo cheese; home versions use whole milk.
- Pasteurisation
- Heated to about 85–90 °C in making.
- Texture
- Soft, moist, fine or slightly grainy curds.
- Flavour
- Sweet, milky, delicate.
- Aroma
- Fresh cream.
- Rind
- None.
- Typical maturation
- None
Tasting & pairing
Taste plain, then with honey and with black pepper — sweetness and texture are the point. Use the tasting wheel.
Food
- Honey and figs
- Lemon zest
- Spinach (ravioli, pastizzi)
- Tomato
Drinks (non-alcoholic)
- Sparkling lemonade
- Iced tea
Optional, if you drink alcohol: Light white wine.
Storage: Refrigerate; use within a few days.
How it's made
- Method
- Whey (or milk) is heated close to boiling with a little acid; the proteins float to the surface as fine curds and are ladled into baskets.
- Cultures
- None.
- Coagulation
- Acid and heat
- Curd handling
- Curds ladled gently into perforated baskets.
- Pressing
- Not pressed.
- Salting
- Lightly, or not at all.
- Ageing
- None (ricotta salata is a pressed, salted, aged version).
At home: Beginner home make
Whole-milk ricotta is a beginner make.
Recipes on FriendsPantry that use it
Sources
- Cheese Making Technology e-book — University of Guelph, Food Science
- Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous? — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
- eAmbrosia — EU geographical indications register — European Commission
Guidance changes: check the source for current wording. Original text; figures quoted from the sources where stated.