Ricotta is an Italian whey cheese, meaning a product made from whey—a by-product of milk cheese making—rather than whole milk. Other whey cheeses include Gjetost cheese.

In its basic form, ricotta is fresh, creamy, slightly sweet and low-fat (typically around 5% fat), with a finely grained texture and a pure white color. In this form, it is somewhat similar in texture to some cottage cheese variants, though

considerably lighter. Like many fresh cheeses, it is highly perishable. Ricotta comes in other forms as well, see variants below.

The name "ricotta" means "cooked again" ("re-cooked") in Italian, referring to the second processing of the liquid done to produce the cheese.

Manufacturing process
As mentioned previously, the main ingredient of this cheese is whey, rather than milk. The whey is usually a by-product of making cheeses such as mozzarella or provolone. Whey from acid-set cheeses cannot produce ricotta, because all the protein has curdled out in the original cheese.

Whey contains little protein, since most of it was removed during the production of the original rennet-set cheese, from which the whey resulted. This makes Ricotta production a low yield process, considering the amount of whey required to produce it.

The whey is heated, sometimes with additional acid like vinegar, to curdle out the remaining protein in the whey. The whey is heated to a near boiling temperature, much hotter than during the production of the original cheese, of which the whey is a remnant.

This use for the whey has ancient origins and is referred to by Cato the Elder.

Common culinary uses

Not unlike mascarpone in northern-Italian cuisine, ricotta is a favorite component of many Italian desserts, such as cheesecakes and cannolis. There are also kinds of cookies that include ricotta as an ingredient.

In Italian households and dining establishments, ricotta is often beaten smooth and mixed with condiments, such as sugar, cinnamon and occasionally chocolate shavings, and served as a dessert. This basic combination (often with additions such as citrus and

pistachios) also features prominently as the filling of the crunchy tubular shell of the Sicilian cannoli, and layered with slices of cake in Palermo's cassata.

Ricotta is also used in dishes other than desserts. Some lasagna recipes, for instance, call for the use of ricotta.

Combined with eggs and cooked grains, then baked firm, ricotta is also a main ingredient in Naples' pastiera, one of Italy's many "Easter pies". Regional variations may be sweet or savory.

Variants
In addition to its fresh, soft form, ricotta is also sold in three preparations which ensure a longer shelf life: salted, baked and smoked. The pressed, salted and dried variety of the cheese is known as ricotta salata. A milky-white hard cheese used for grating or shaving, ricotta salata is sold in wheels, decorated by a delicate basket-weave pattern.

Ricotta infornata is produced by placing a large lump of soft ricotta in the oven until it develops a brown, lightly charred crust, sometimes even until it becomes sandy brown all the way through. Ricotta infornata is popular primarily in Sardinia and Sicily, and is sometimes called ricotta al forno.

Ricotta affumicata is similar to ricotta infornata. It is produced by placing a lump of soft ricotta in a smoker until it develops a grey crust and acquires a charred wood scent, usually of oak or chestnut wood, although in Friuli beech wood is used, with the additiion of juniper and herbs.

Ricotta scanta is the process of letting the ricotta go 'bad' in a controlled manner. It is produced by letting it go sour for about a week, then stirring it every 2-3 days, salting occasionally and allowing the liquid to flow away. After about 100 days, the ricotta becomes like the consistency of cream cheese, with the distinct pungent, piquant aroma, much like blue cheese, but much richer. Ricotta scanta tastes as it smells, extremely aromatic and piquant and with a definite bitter note. If tasted with the tip of your tongue, it is said to taste "hot".

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