Ricotta () is an Italian dairy product made from sheep (or cow, goat, buffalo) milk whey left over from the production of cheese. Although typically referred to as ricotta cheese, ricotta is not properly a cheese because it is not produced by coagulation of casein. Rather it is made by coagulating other milk proteins, notably albumin and globulin, left over in the whey that separates from the milk during the production of cheese. In fact, ricotta is safely eaten by individuals with casein intolerance.

Ricotta (literally meaning "recooked") uses the whey, a limpid, low-fat, nutritious liquid that is a by-product of cheese production. Most of the milk protein (especially casein) is removed when cheese is made, but some protein remains in the whey, mostly albumin. This remaining protein can be harvested if the whey is first allowed to become more acidic by additional fermentation (by letting it sit for 12–24 hours at room temperature). Then the acidified whey is heated to near boiling. The combination of low pH and high temperature denatures the protein and causes it to precipitate out, forming a fine curd. Once cooled, the curd is separated by passing through a fine cloth.

Ricotta curds are creamy white in appearance, slightly sweet in taste, and contain around 13% fat. In this form, it is somewhat similar in texture to some cottage cheese variants, though considerably lighter. It is highly perishable. Ricotta comes in other forms as well, see ''variants'' below.

Manufacturing process

Common culinary uses

Ricotta can be beaten smooth and mixed with condiments, such as sugar, cinnamon, orange flower water and occasionally chocolate shavings, and served as a dessert. This basic combination (often with additions such as citrus and pistachios) also features prominently as the filling of the crunchy tubular shell of the Sicilian cannoli, and layered with slices of cake in Palermo's cassata.

Combined with eggs and cooked grains, then baked firm, ricotta is also a main ingredient in Naples' pastiera, one of Italy's many "Easter pies" (). Regional variations may be sweet or savory.

Ricotta is also commonly used in savory dishes, including pasta, calzoni, pizza, manicotti, lasagne, and ravioli.

It also makes a suitable substitute for mayonnaise in traditional egg or tuna salad and as a sauce thickener.

It is also used in the Indian dessert known as Ras Malai.

Variants

In addition to its fresh, soft form, ricotta is also sold in three preparations which ensure a longer shelf life: salted, baked and smoked. The pressed, salted, dried and aged variety of the cheese is known as ''ricotta salata'', milky-white and firm, used for grating or shaving. Ricotta salata is sold in wheels, decorated by a delicate basket-weave pattern.

''Ricotta infornata'' is produced by placing a large lump of soft ricotta in the oven until it develops a brown, lightly charred crust, sometimes even until it becomes sandy brown all the way through. Ricotta infornata is popular primarily in Sardinia and Sicily, and is sometimes called ''ricotta al forno''.

''Ricotta affumicata'' is similar to ricotta infornata. It is produced by placing a lump of soft ricotta in a smoker until it develops a grey crust and acquires a charred wood scent, usually of oak or chestnut wood, although in Friuli beech wood is used, with the addition of juniper and herbs.

''Ricotta scanta'' is the process of letting the ricotta go sour in a controlled manner, for about a week, then stirring it every 2–3 days, salting occasionally and allowing the liquid to flow away. After about 100 days, the ricotta has the consistency of cream cheese, with a distinct, pungent, piquant aroma, much like blue cheese but much richer. ''Ricotta scanta'' tastes as it smells, extremely aromatic and piquant, with a definite bitter note. Tasted with the tip of the tongue, it has a "hot" sensation.

In Mexico, ricotta is known as ''requesón''. It can be salted or sweetened for cooking purposes, and is a popular filling for ''tlacoyos'' and ''tacos dorados''. In the central west area (Jalisco, Michoacan and Colima), it is spread over ''tostadas'' or ''bolillos'', or served as a side to beans.

Romanian ''urdă'' () is made by reprocessing the whey drained from any type of cheese. Urdă is thus similar to fresh ricotta as its fabrication implies the same technological process. However, Romanian ''urdă'' is neither smoked, nor baked in the oven like some variants of the Italian ricotta. Besides, ''urdă'' is used mainly in desserts, not in other types of dishes. ''Urdă'' is produced by Romanian shepherds since immemorial times and is consequently regarded by Romanians as a Romanian traditional product.

Albanian ''gjiza'' is made by boiling whey for about 15 minutes. The derivate is drained 3-4 times with a napkin or piece of cloth and salted to taste. Gjiza can be served immediately or refrigerated a couple of days.

References

External links

Category:Italian cheeses Category:Cow's-milk cheeses Category:Sheep's-milk cheeses Category:Whey cheeses

Mario Batali (born September 19, 1960) is an American chef, writer, restaurateur and media personality. In addition to his classical culinary training, he is an expert on the history and culture of Italian cuisine, including regional and local variations. Batali co-owns restaurants in New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Singapore. Batali's signature style includes shorts and orange Crocs.

Personal life

He is of Italian ancestry on his father's side, and French Canadian ancestry on his mother's side.

According to research done by Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (of Harvard University, in 2010 for the PBS series ''Faces of America)'', his maternal great-great grandparents opened an Italian foods store in 1903. Batali's family roots are found almost entirely in the Western United States. Mario’s great-great-grandfather left Italy in 1899, going to Butte, Montana to work in the copper mines, but later moved west to settle in Seattle.

Mario moved to Spain with his family in 1975 and returned to the U.S. in 1978 to attend Rutgers University, where he majored in Spanish Language, Theatre and Economics, and graduated in 1982. He later went to attend Le Cordon Bleu, though he left because he found the pace too slow and felt that the best way for him to learn was in a professional kitchen. Mario currently lives in New York City with his wife Susi Cahn (of Coach Dairy Goat Farm) and two sons, Leo and Benno. He also owns homes in Northport, Michigan, and Red Hook, New York.

Batali is one of the principal subjects of Bill Buford's 2006 book, ''Heat''. He is an advocate for same-sex marriage.

In an interview, when he was asked what dish his mother made for him that he enjoyed the most, Mario stated that it was Mock Chicken Legs, which are made of ground pork and veal and then shaped around a Popsicle stick and baked.

Professional career

In 1993 Batali opened "Po". In 1998, with business partner Joseph Bastianich (son of Lidia Bastianich), he went on to start "Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca". The pair have since opened seven additional restaurants, Lupa (1999), Esca (2000), Otto Enoteca Pizzeria (2003), Casa Mono (2004), Bar Jamon (2004), Bistro Du Vent (2004, closed in 2006), Del Posto (2005), Enoteca San Marco (2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada), B&B; Ristorante (2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada), Tarry Lodge in Port Chester, NY, CarneVino (2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada) and a shop named Italian Wine Merchants (1999) which is no longer under Batali's ownership.

The ''New York Post'' reported in September 2007 that Batali’s contract with the Food Network would not be renewed, and that he would no longer be featured on its ''Iron Chef America'' series. The article further reported that although Batali had not initially been dismissed from ''Iron Chef America'', he decided not to make any further appearances on the show after the network made the decision to cancel his cooking show, ''Molto Mario'', which had been airing on Food Network since 1997. A Food Network spokesperson confirmed to ABC News that ''Molto Mario'' would no longer be aired, but said that "Mario Batali is still part of the Food Network family. Sometimes family members go off and do other things. We completely blessed his decision to go to PBS ... He is still going to appear on ''Iron Chef America.''" No new episodes of ''Molto Mario'' have been filmed since 2004, but the network continued airing re-runs, with reruns currently airing first on Fine Living and currently on Fine Living's replacement channel Cooking. Batali was absent on the season ''finalé'' of ''The Next Iron Chef'', but he appeared twice during ''Iron Chef America's'' 2008 season, and his likeness has been licensed to appear in the Nintendo game ''Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine''. As of episodes airing in 2010, Batali's name and likeness do not appear in the show's opening credits.

Batali is featured in PBS’s show Spain... on the road Again with Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Bittman (of ''The New York Times'') and Claudia Bassols (a Spanish actress) featuring Spanish cuisine. The 13-episode series was filmed from October 2007 into early 2008. This will be the first of a series of shows that will be developed for PBS over the next several years. Batali is also in negotiations with Travel Channel to develop a series on Italian cuisine and culture with Anthony Bourdain that reportedly will be an "exhaustive, definitive Italy series with the kind of production values that Planet Earth had".

Batali teamed up with premium drum stick producer Vic Firth to create custom kitchen tools. Together they designed a line of wooden rolling pins, pepper grinders and salt grinders.

In 2009, Batali announced the creation of the Mario Batali Foundation "to educate, empower and encourage children". The foundation is an event-driven fundraiser for children’s disease research, children’s hunger relief, and literacy programs.

Batali has been critical of fellow international chef Gordon Ramsay, calling his cooking styles dated and boring. Although the New York Post reported, in 2009, of a feud between Ramsay and Batali, Batali has stated, "We really don't even know each other.... I'd love to hang out with him."

In 2009 Batali made his film debut in Wes Anderson's ''Fantastic Mr. Fox''.

Batali recently lost 45 pounds, hoping to shed about 80 pounds total. Batali said he decided to lose weight after he saw a picture of himself. He counts on light exercise and portion control to lose the weight. Batali said, "It’s really about calorie intake and calorie outtake. You just have to eat enough to get you to the next meal."

Mario is featured also in the MMORPG World of Warcraft: Cataclysm: in Stormwind City there is the NPC ''Bario Matalli'' (almost Mario Batali with the initial letters swapped) which is regarded as "Sous Chef" and feature the highest-level cooking recipes available.

Television credits

Awards

Bibliography

Social activism

See also

References

External links

Category:1960 births Category:American television chefs

Category:Food Network chefs Category:American people of French-Canadian descent Category:American people of Italian descent Category:Living people Category:American restaurateurs Category:People from New Brunswick, New Jersey Category:Rutgers University alumni

With roughly 1.4 million weekly viewers , ''Ciao Italia'' is viewed on more than 270 PBS stations nationwide, and is also seen in New Zealand, and Japan. This program is produced by Rhode Island PBS for national distribution.

Writing

She is a native of Buffalo, New York.

Features

Media appearances

Among the organizations that have honored Esposito are the National Italian American Foundation, National Organization of Italian American Women, the Columbus Foundation, and the Pirandello Lyceum, Washington, D.C.

She is currently a spokeswoman for King Arthur Flour.

References