When in Rome, eat ricotta cheesecake. Technically, ricotta is not a cheese.  Meaning "re-cooked" in Italian, this fluffy latticino is a cheese by-product.  Made from boiling whey, ricotta is milky and a tad sweet. From Rome to the South, ricotta graces savory and sweet dishes.

Italian cooks turn to ricotta because its lacks a strong taste.  It adds creaminess but won't kill other flavors. A staple throughout Italy, ricotta brightens fresh ravioli or sweets like cannoli. Bakers in Rome use ricotta in two typical "cheesecakes" -- both called crostata di ricotta.  Filling the first variety is creamy combo of ricotta, chocolate nibs and sugar.  An older recipe chooses cherries over chocolate.