Ricotta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ricotta |
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| Country of origin | Italy |
| Source of milk | Sheep, cows, goats, or Italian water buffalo |
| Texture | Dependent on variety, fresh soft to aged semisoft |
| Aging time | None or up to a year for aged varieties |
| Named after | Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 70: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
Ricotta is a creamy, soft cheese from Italy. It's a special kind of fresh cheese. Ricotta is made from whey, which is the watery liquid left over after making other cheeses. This liquid separates from the solid curds during cheese production.
Ricotta is usually white, soft, and has a slightly grainy texture. It's a dairy product that contains protein. You can find it in many delicious Italian foods, especially desserts like cheesecake or cannoli.
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Cooking with Ricotta
Ricotta is a very popular ingredient in Italian cooking. It's used in both sweet and savory dishes.
Sweet Treats with Ricotta
Ricotta is a favorite in many Italian desserts. It makes treats like cheesecakes and cannoli extra special. Many different kinds of cookies also use ricotta as an ingredient.
You can mix ricotta with things like sugar, cinnamon, or chocolate shavings. Sometimes, people add orange flower water or strawberries. This sweet mix can be served as a simple dessert on its own. This same sweet mixture is often used to fill Sicilian cannoli. It's also layered with cake slices in a dessert called cassata from Palermo.
In Naples, ricotta is a main ingredient in pastiera. This is one of Italy's many "Easter pies." It's made by combining ricotta with eggs and cooked grains, then baking it until firm.
Savory Dishes with Ricotta
Ricotta is also commonly used in savory meals. It adds a creamy texture to many pasta dishes. You'll find it in foods like lasagne, manicotti, and ravioli.
It's also used in baked goods such as calzone, stromboli, and even on some types of pizza. Sometimes, ricotta can be used as a thickener for sauces. It can even be a substitute for mayonnaise in things like egg or tuna salad.
Types of Ricotta
While fresh ricotta is the most common, there are other types too. These varieties are often aged or prepared differently.
- Ricotta salata is a firm, salted version of ricotta. It's pressed and aged, making it harder.
- Ricotta affumicata is a smoked type of ricotta. It gets a unique flavor from being smoked.
- Ricotta forte is a very soft, strong-flavored ricotta. It's often sold in jars.
Images for kids
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Ricotta salata is a firm, salted variety of ricotta
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Ricotta forte is a very soft variety from Apulia sold in jars.
See also
In Spanish: Requesón para niños
