[Sca-cooks] Ricotta Salata???

[Christiane]

>Okay, gang....
>I had some time to kill in the grocery store today, while waiting to get a prescription filled, and got intrigued by a new cheese, which I've adopted and brought home.  It looks to be an aged, perhaps salted? version of ricotta.  Fairly firm texture, even after being at room temp for a while.  Very creamy-white, with a faint, white mold on the rind/outer area (white like with brie, but not as thick).
>What do I do with it? Is it meant to be grated, like a parmesan? Or eaten with bread or crackers? I've got half a pound of it to play with, so I'd love to hear from any of you who've encountered this....
>--Maire
>
This is one of the cheeses my great-uncle used to make, my Dad tells me ...

It's exquisite over slices of ripe red tomatoes and basil, with a drizzle of olive oil.

Also good over fresh fava beans, and really good with steamed fennel or over steamed or sauteed broccoli (with lots of garlic and hot pepper). 

Bruschetta with roasted eggplant and ricotta salata, mmmm mmmm. 

Or sautee eggplant in chunks with tomatoes, garlic, and ricotta salata and eat it on top of pasta, and you have the famous Sicilian dish Pasta alla Norma. Here's a great treatise on pasta alla Norma:

http://fxcuisine.com/default.asp?Display=84

The best ricotta salata, as is the best ricotta, is made from sheep's milk, but cow's milk ricotta salata is more easily available in the United States. 

Gianotta (now hungry)