Ricotta

What is ricotta?

Ricotta is a soft, creamy, fresh Italian cheese with a mild, milky taste. Unlike most types of cheese which are made from curds, ricotta cheese is made mostly from whey. In fact, many Italian cheese makers use curds to make one type of cheese first, and then use whatever tiny pieces remain along with the whey to make ricotta afterward.

What is ricotta salata?

Ricotta salata is ricotta cheese that has been aged and salted. This gives it a much firmer texture, making it an excellent cheese to shave over pasta dishes, eggplant parmesan, and other Italian recipes. At Supermarket Italy, you’ll find traditional ricotta salata as well as unique flavors like chili pepper.

Ricotta Recipes

There are a lot of possible ricotta recipes you can make, both savory and sweet. Ricotta cheese is often used as a filling for various types of pasta, such as ravioli, lasagna, and shell pasta like conchiglie and lumaconi. You can also use ricotta to make cheesy, creamy pasta sauces. (Supermarket Italy offers many pre-made pasta sauces with ricotta, like tomato, pesto and white sauce!) For dessert, use this indulgent, creamy cheese to make traditional Italian cannoli cream or Italian ricotta cheesecake!