Ricotta Salata Cheese

Ricotta Salata CheeseRicotta Salata Cheese Authentic Italian Sheeps Milk Cheese Ricotta Salata is a traditional Italian cheese made from sheeps 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

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.

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

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.

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.

Pairings

• Excellent with tomato-based dishes

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

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.

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

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)