This Little Piggy Went to The Market and got: Ricotta!

Ricotta Romana

So, you’re in Rome. The most delicious city in the world and you want to try your hand at cooking. But you don’t know where to start because honestly, who does? Instead of thinking platter first, how about you start with some ingrediental inspiration. And what better ingredient then one of the most famous Italian cheeses, Ricotta!

Ricotta cheese is known for its versatility of uses. From a refreshing pizza topping to cheesecake and everything in between, it’s no wonder this cheese is a trademark of Italian culture.
The exact birth of this savory-sweet cheese is unrecorded so its history is told through the recipes and guest-appearances throughout time. The most accepted origin story is that it was brought from the Fertile Crescent on the back of Arabic peoples who were moving whey through Sicily. They had figured out that by cooking the byproducts of cheese they would get more cheese. This magic process was spread throughout Italy rapidly via trade, conquest and migration. This process was also what gave the cheese its name being as it literally means cooked twice in southern Italian dialect. It had become a godsend for travelers who had to make the most out of their resources on long trips and the common peoples who couldn’t afford to waste any material. It is said that civilization is responsible for the creation of ricotta but Sicilians are the ones who perfected it.
Ricotta cheese as we know it today is a moist snow-white, almost wet play doh like, lump that bounces to the touch. It’s raw flavor is a subtle piquant of milk with a honeyed undertone. It’s its distinct yet quiet flavor that makes it so palpable in so many dishes!
Some of the best Ricotta can be bought at a market called La Tradizione (Via Cipro 8E, Roma). This is a gourmet market known for their aging and selling of over 400 kinds of cheese! Right north of the Vatican, It can almost be said that these cheeses are next to godliness!

Sample Recipe: Ricotta Bruschetta

Ingredients:
-Fresh Tomatoes

-Fresh Ricotta

-Bread of your preference

-Salt

-Pepper

Balsamic Vinegar

Instructions:

1. Toast the bread until it is light brown and golden.
2. Dice the tomatoes into squares. Season them with salt and pepper.
3. Spread the raw Ricotta on the toasted bread.
4. Top with seasoned tomatoes.
5. Glaze with Balsamic vinegar
6. Enjoy!