Ricotta Salata from Basilicata
Photograph and Article by Gina DePalma, Pastry Chef

Basilicata boasts a long tradition of excellent cheesemaking, and ricotta salata is one of the region’s finest offerings. The translation is pretty straightforward – salted ricotta, but belies its unique flavor and surprising versatility.

It all begins with fresh, creamy ricotta from the herds of sheep and goats that roam the rocky landscape of the Lucanian Dolomites. Ricotta is a basket cheese; the weave of the basket molds the cheese and allows the whey to drain out. Fresh ricotta loses only a small portion of its whey, keeping it moist and fluffy, but an application of gentle pressure extracts nearly all of its whey, compacting the snowy-white curds. The cheese is then rubbed with dry salt and left to age for a short period in a semi-damp environment. The best examples of ricotta salata are balanced, not too salty, retaining both the tangy flavor and creaminess of the original milk and resulting in a dense, creamy mouth feel.

Ricotta salata is most often crumbled or grated over savory dishes, such as Basilicata’s special cavatelli; it is delicious grated on top of a crostino of bitter greens sautéed in olive oil, and at Babbo, it provides a striking contrast to the vibrant colors of our signature beet salad. But it would be a shame to deny its natural ability to adapt to sweet situations. Here, I’ve illustratred three ways to enjoy ricotta salata as a table cheese: with a dab of Prunotto’s sweet apricot marmelatta, droplets of intensely grapey vincotto, and a dribble of Lucanian mountain honey. The cheese and all three accompaniments are available at DiPalo Fine Foods, 200 Grand Street (at Mott Street; map).

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