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.
