Ricotta Salata Cheese

Ricotta Salata Cheese – Authentic Italian Sheep’s Milk Cheese

Ricotta Salata is a traditional Italian cheese made from sheep’s milk whey, pressed, salted, and aged for a minimum of 90 days. During aging, the ricotta loses over 50% of its moisture, resulting in a firm, sliceable texture and a pleasantly salty, savory flavor.

Milky white in color with a compact body, Ricotta Salata offers a clean whey aroma and a balanced saltiness that intensifies with maturation. Unlike fresh ricotta, this aged version is designed for grating, slicing, crumbling, and shaving, making it a staple of Southern Italian cuisine.

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Taste & Texture

• Flavor: Savory, salty, clean whey notes

• Texture: Semi-soft to firm, crumbly when aged

• Color: Bright white interior, pale rind

• Aroma: Pungent, dairy-forward

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Traditional Production

Ricotta Salata is not a conventional cheese but a by-product of cheese making, produced by re-cooking sheep’s milk whey. Once the whey proteins rise to the surface, they are collected, molded, hand-salted, and aged on wooden shelves in well-ventilated environments.

This process, preserved by shepherds for generations, allows the cheese to develop structure, flavor, and extended shelf life while maintaining its distinctive character.

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Culinary Uses

Ricotta Salata is one of the most iconic ingredients in Sicilian cuisine. It is best known for:

• Grating over pasta alla Norma

• Crumbling into salads and pasta salads

• Shaving over grilled vegetables or legumes

• Serving with fresh fruit or beans

Its firm structure makes it ideal wherever a salty, dairy finish is needed.

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Pairings

• Excellent with tomato-based dishes

• Pairs well with Sicilian red wines, such as Etna Rosso or Cerasuolo di Vittoria

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Nutritional Values (per 100 g)

• Energy: 279 kcal

• Fat: 23 g

  • Saturated fat: 15 g

• Carbohydrates: 2 g

  • Sugars: 2 g

• Protein: 18 g

• Salt: 3.1 g

Rich in high-quality protein, calcium, and vitamins B1, B2, PP, and A.

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Storage

• Store unopened in a cool, dry place (8–10°C / 46–50°F)

• Shelf life: 3 months

• After opening, refrigerate and consume within a short period

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Product Details

• Ingredients: Sheep’s milk whey, salt

• Aging: 3 months

• Packaging: Vacuum-sealed plastic

• Region: Sicily

• Country of Origin: Italy

Available Sizes (Weight Approximate)

• Half Wheel: 4.5–5 lb (2–2.3 kg)

• Full Wheel: 9–10 lb (4–4.6 kg)