Ricotta
Beginner
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A mild, moist cheese made from whey — great in both desserts and cooking.
TasteFaintly sweet, almost neutral and very mild. Made from whey, it's low in fat and barely salted, so whatever you put with it — sweet or savory — largely decides the flavor. Sheep's or buffalo whey gives a richer result than cow's.
TextureSoft, moist curds — a spoonable texture. Salted and dried, it becomes 'ricotta salata', firm enough to grate and effectively a different cheese.
Similar cheeses
How it differsYes, it counts as a soft fresh cheese — high moisture, spoonable, spreadable. Cottage cheese is the usual mix-up and you can tell them apart by eye: ricotta's curds are fine and hold together smoothly, while cottage cheese has large curds sitting in visible liquid. Unlike mozzarella or burrata, it never stretches.
Pairing
🍷 WineLight white
🍽️ FoodHoney, fruit, cinnamon, lasagna, pancakes
How to enjoy
It is meant to be eaten as it is — the whey is heated hot to make it, so it arrives already cooked. As dessert with honey and fruit, or as a filling for lasagna and ravioli. For lasagna, drain it in a sieve for at least 30 minutes and beat in an egg — undrained ricotta weeps in the oven and leaves the layers soupy.
Storage
Move it to an airtight container and press cling film onto the surface. There is enough moisture here for bacteria to thrive, so eat it within a week of opening and use a clean spoon each time. A little clear liquid on top is whey — stir it back in. Discard it if it will not stir back, if the colour turns yellow or grey, or if it smells sour.
⏳ AgingNone (except salted, dried styles like salata)
Good to know
'Ricotta' means 're-cooked' — the whey left over from making other cheese is heated again to catch the protein still in it. Strictly speaking it isn't made from milk at all, but from a by-product. A cheese born of leftovers is now a staple of the Italian kitchen.