HEALTHY CORNER

Traditional, creamery, whey cheese made from cow's milk. It is a basin-shaped cheese, pure white and wet but not sticky.

Good Ricotta should be firm, not solid and consist of a mass of fine, moist, delicate grains, neither salted nor ripened.

It is white, creamy and mild and is primarily used as an ingredient in lasagna. It is primarily made with cow's milk whey which is heated to 170 degrees F.

Citric acid is added to encourage destabilization and separation and the temperature is quickly raised to 185 degrees F.

Proteins from the whey separate rise and coagulate; the proteins (lactalbumin) are skimmed off and put in a wicker basket to drain for two days after which the "cheese" is ready for market.

There are three distinct varieties of ricotta: ricotta salata moliterna (ewe's milk whey), ricotta piemontese (cow's milk whey + 10% milk) and ricotta romana (a byproduct of Romano cheese production).