No, not "ricotta salad", as I first thought. "Ricotta salata" means "salted ricotta" or literally "salted re-cooked". Ricotta is the cooked down whey left over from the curd ("curds and whey") that went into making some other cheese. Often this is fresh and sweet and sold in small tubs to be used in lasagna, calzones or cheese dips. Ricotta salata is salted and pressed to form a firm, crumbly, death-white disk of cheese.
By itself ricotta salata is a little too salty to eat as is. Its saltiness pairs well with fresh fruit though and makes it a great ingredient in pasta dishes. In a traditional recipe of Orrechiette with Tomatoes, Garlic and Basil, ricotta salata is crumbled over the finished dish to add the cheesy components of salt and creaminess and a little sheepy tang.
Name: Ricotta Salata
Type of Milk: Sheep, Pasteurized
Type: semi-soft
Produced in:
Date Purchased: 11/23/2006
Date Eaten: 11/23/2006
Purchased Where: United States, North Carolina, Raleigh, Whole Foods
Price: $5.99/lb.
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COMMENTS
Where in the Chicago suburbs can I buy ricotta salata
Posted by A 365 Cheeses Reader | January 24, 2007 6:37 PM
Posted on January 24, 2007 18:37
Whole Foods has some stores in the Chicago area. I am in North Carolina and haven't been to Illinois is a few years but they are likely to have it if a store is near you.
Posted by Kirk | January 24, 2007 11:12 PM
Posted on January 24, 2007 23:12