In collaboration with PASSIONS, VOICE OF ASIA is proud to present timeless articles from the archives, reproduced digitally for your reading pleasure. Originally published in PASSIONS Volume 44 in 2011, we present this story on Ricotta, as we go gaga over cheese.
One of the culinary world’s finest and oldest ingredients, cheese is an ancient food with an origin that predates recorded history. Widely used today in cooking all over the world, cheese comes in hundreds of types, and is favoured for its long life, high nutritional content and of course – taste. Dubbed by turophiles – cheese connoisseurs – as ‘Food for the Gods’, this irresistible curd certainly lives up to its name. In this month’s edition of The Cheese Cellar, PASSIONS takes a look at the cheese that’s been in the hearts (and stomachs) of Italians – Ricotta.
Origins
Derived from the Latin term recocta for ‘recooked’, Ricotta is believed to have originated with the Jews in Rome or Sicily, and was used as a condiment in traditional Sicilian fare. A creamy by-product of the cheese making process, it is created from whey, a watery substance left over from milk, which is drained off when mozzarella cheese is made.
The Variants
This famous cheese has a number of variations which including ricotta affumicata (smoked ricotta) – a hard cheese that can be grated over pasta, ricotta infornata – created by baking creamy ricotta until it is burnt to a toasty crust and ricotta forte – a fermented cheese produced in Puglia. Due to its thick, fluffy texture, Ricotta is a favoured condiment for many Italian dishes. The texture of Ricotta can be further enhanced with lemon or vinegar, which gives it a tangier flavour.
Indulgence
Ricotta is most commonly used in savoury dishes like lasagne, calzone and ravioli. Like mascarpone in Northern Italian cuisine, the cheese is also a favourite component of many Italian desserts like cannoli. Ricotta can be used as a dip for appetisers and it can also be a substitute for mayonnaise in traditional salads.
The Finest Producers
Ricotta isn’t hard to find as it is produced throughout the world. It is also fairly easy to make with common household ingredients, producing satisfying results. But for dedicated turophiles looking to savour an authentic Italian Ricotta, there is Tre Stelle or Sorrento.
