Ricotta di fuscella facts for kids

Ricotta di fuscella is a special kind of fresh cheese from the Campania region in Italy. It's made from cow's milk and is recognized as a PAT product. PAT stands for Prodotto Agroalimentare Tradizionale, which means "Traditional Agri-food Product." This label helps protect and promote traditional Italian foods.

What's in a Name?

The name Ricotta di fuscella comes from the Neapolitan word fiscella. This word describes a special basket that looks like a cone with its top cut off. This basket has holes and is used to carry and sell the cheese.

Traditionally, these fiscella baskets were made from woven reeds or wicker. Today, the word fuscella also refers to a similar tool used in cheesemaking. This modern fuscella is made from food-safe plastic and has small lines of holes.

What Does It Look Like?

Ricotta di fuscella has a unique shape, like a pyramid with its top cut off. Each cheese usually weighs less than 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms). It's a beautiful white color, like porcelain, and doesn't have a hard crust. The cheese is very soft and has a gentle, sweet taste.

How Is It Made?

Making Ricotta di fuscella involves several careful steps:

• First, the cow's milk is filtered and kept cold.
• Then, salt is added to the milk.
• The milk is gently heated to about 183-185°F (84-85°C) and made a little bit acidic.
• After about 30 minutes, while keeping the temperature steady, the milk starts to thicken and form a soft mass.
• This soft cheese mass is then carefully placed into the special fuscelle baskets, which have holes.
• The cheese is kept cool on ice for ten days.
• The cheesemakers don't use any artificial acids or chemicals to change the pH.
• Finally, the ricotta is wrapped to protect it. It is sold without any liquid around it.

Where Is It Made?

This special cheese is made all over the province of Naples in Italy. It's especially well-known in the town of Sant'Anastasia. This area has a long history of raising goats, and their milk helps make sure there's enough cheese for the whole region.

How to Enjoy It

Ricotta di fuscella is delicious on its own, but it's also a key ingredient in many traditional dishes from Campania. You can find it in yummy stuffed pastas or in sweet desserts like pastiera, a famous Italian cake.