Baked Ricotta
Ricotta infornata, or baked ricotta, has a distinctive tan crust, a toasty flavor, and a firm but supple texture comparable to cheesecake’s; Italians often eat it with bread or as part of an antipasto platter. Get the recipe for Baked Ricotta with Orange Blossom-Cherry Sauce »
Homemade Ricotta
Homemade ricotta, made by adding rennet or an acid, like vinegar, to heated whole milk, causing curds to form, has a milky flavor that’s suited to a wide variety of dishes. Get the recipe for Homemade Ricotta »
Smoked Ricotta
Ricotta affumicata, or smoked ricotta, when grated over pasta or melted in a panini, lends a baconlike richness to the dish.
Ricotta Salata al Peperoncino
Crushed red chile flakes are a common seasoning in numerous southern Italian dishes, and they’re also what give ricotta salata al peperoncino its piquant bite; the cheese makes an excellent addition to linguine with arrabbiata sauce.
Sheep’s Milk Ricotta
Faintly grassy and rich, sheep’s milk ricotta, or ricotta di pecora, works well as the focal point of a dish, whether eaten on crostini with honey and figs or tossed with pasta. Get the recipe for Ricotta Crostini with Chestnut Honey »
Factory-Made Ricotta
Most factory-made ricotta, like the Polly-O brand, is produced from cows’ milk and has a fine-grained curd; its mild flavor and consistent texture, achieved by the addition of stabilizers like gums, makes it a good choice for lasagne and other cooked dishes. Get the recipe for Classic Lasagna »
Pastry Ricotta
Ricotta impastata, or pastry ricotta, is whipped to create an ethereal texture and is sometimes sweetened; professional pastry chefs use it to make fluffy fillings for cannoli and sfogliatelle, a traditional Italian layered pastry. Get the recipe for Sicilian Cannoli »
Ricotta Forte
The dense and pungent fermented cheese known as ricotta forte is a specialty of Gravina, a city in the southern Italian region of Puglia; this ricotta is aged from 60 days to a few years, and its flavor is reminiscent of blue cheese’s.
Ricotta Salata
Ricotta salata is salted, pressed, and then dried and aged for three months, which firms the cheese and yields a bright, mildly salty flavor; try crumbling it over salads or grating it into pasta dishes. Get the recipe for Citrus Salad with Arugula & Ricotta Salata »
Buffalo Milk Ricotta
Buffalo milk ricotta , or ricotta di bufala, has a pleasingly gamy taste and a dense texture (owing to the higher fat content of buffalo milk).