ricotta cheese
[ rih-KAHT-tuh ]
This rich fresh
CHEESE is slightly grainy but smoother than cottage
CHEESE. It's white, moist and has a slightly sweet flavor. Most Italian ricottas are made from the
WHEY drained off while making
CHEESEs such as
CHEESE/Detail.aspx">MOZZARELLA and
CHEESE/Detail.aspx">PROVOLONE. Technically, this type of ricotta is not really
CHEESE because it's made from a
CHEESE by-product. In the United States, ricottas are usually made with a combination of
WHEY and whole or skim milk. The word ricotta means "re-cooked," and is derived from the fact that the
CHEESE is made by heating the
WHEY from another cooked
CHEESE. Ricotta is a popular ingredient in many Italian savory preparations like
LASAGNA and
MANICOTTI, as well as desserts like
CASSATA and
CHEESEcake/Detail.aspx">
CHEESECAKE. See also
CHEESE.
© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S
COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.
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