I have a chef friend who grew up in Watertown, Massachusetts, outside of Boston. Upon meeting, we were immediate oddities to one another. She is Italian American; I am Irish, Scottish and from Atlanta. Yet we found common ground in food, exchanging hours of Proustian memories. I shared about local figs, preserving and pound cakes. She offered tales of her mother’s manicotti and homemade ricotta cheese.
Her family — indeed sometimes the entire neighborhood — made ricotta in a huge pot outside in the garage. I was fascinated and began my informal education of Italian cheeses.
Ricotta is a most interesting soft cheese, a part of a small family of cheeses around the world called “whey cheese.” (The only other truly notable whey cheese is mysost, a Norwegian whey cheese that’s caramelized.) While most cheeses are made from curds, whey cheeses are made from the whey proteins left behind after the curds and whey are separated during the cheese-making process. “Ricotta” translates to “recooked.”
Though its origins can’t be explicitly traced, most food historians believe ricotta emerged in the ninth-century Arab-Sicilian era in Sicily, when cheesemakers used the whey left over from making mozzarella. Its popularity — as well as its ease in making — made it a common household cheese that is prominent around the world.
Modern versions of the cheese, particularly in the U.S., are made out of whole or skimmed cow’s milk, with curds as well as whey. This process reduces production times and gets the product to market sooner. Ricotta is frequently used as a stuffing in pasta or as a base for sauces to top pasta. Fresh ricotta, like my friend’s, is delicious on its own with some fresh fruit and honey.
Another Italian soft cheese that could be made at home — but is ubiquitous in supermarkets — is creamy mascarpone cheese. It’s different from American cream cheese because it’s made from cream instead of milk. Cow’s milk cream is coagulated with citric or tartaric acid, resulting in a rich, creamy, spreadable cheese with a tiny tang. Originally from Lombardy, a region in Italy famous for its cheeses (including Gorgonzola), mascarpone cheese features as the prominent ingredient in tiramisu, one of Italy’s most popular dessert exports. I love mascarpone cheese most spread over toast with a bit of fruit preserves.
Gorgonzola is one of Italy’s most famous cheeses and one of the four classic blue cheeses. (The others are English Stilton, French Roquefort and Spanish Cabrales.) It is part of the stracchino family of cheeses and originated in Gorgonzola, a small town outside of Milan.
Stracchino means “tired,” and refers to the cows’ physical state after summer grazing in the mountains, or so the story goes. These cheeses are rindless, with a spreadable texture and mild, tangy flavor that deepens with age. Gorgonzola cheese’s characteristic green-blue mold comes from the introduction of Penicillium roqueforti, a fungus, during the aging process.
Most American supermarkets sell Gorgonzola piccante, which has been ripened for approximately one year and offers a bold, piquant flavor and crumbly texture. Gorgonzola dolce ripens only for about three months. Fans of its mild flavor can find this young Gorgonzola in specialty cheese shops. Both are a delicious part of a charcuterie board or in pasta dishes. If the cheese is not labeled, it’s most likely piccante. You can always ask the cheesemonger for clarification.
If you love cheese like I do, you’ll love exploring these versatile Italian options. Perhaps, like my friend, you’ll end up making a batch of your own in the garage.
RECIPES
Soft Italian cheeses are the foundation of these delicious recipes. Ricotta cake, especially with lemon, has become a modern classic, as has tiramisu, a relatively modern Italian dessert that came to the forefront of professional kitchens in the 1960s. This fig tart recipe is inspired by pissaladeira, a yeast-raised dough tart, though here it’s made with a prepared pie crust for convenience.
Credit: Meridith Ford
Credit: Meridith Ford
Lemon Ricotta Cake
This rich, pound-cake-like cake needs nothing but a dusting of powdered sugar for decoration, but can be easily gussied up with a fruit or chocolate sauce. Substitute orange for lemon if desired.
- Zest and juice (approximately 2 tablespoons) of 1 large lemon, divided
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-2-inch cake pan or springform pan with nonstick baking spray, set aside.
- Place the lemon zest and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix at low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the softened butter and continue mixing on low until the mixture is light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the ricotta and lemon juice. Blend on low to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, blending on low after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and blend until combined.
- In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter all at once and blend until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. The batter will be thick, light in color and fluffy.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and spread to smooth the top with an offset spatula. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Once the pan is cool to touch, turn the cake out and let cool completely.
- Once cool, place the cake on a serving plate and dust with powdered sugar using a hand sifter.
Serves 8.
Per serving: 449 calories (percent of calories from fat, 47), 8 grams protein, 53 grams carbohydrates, 32 grams total sugars, 1 gram fiber, 24 grams total fat (14 grams saturated), 138 milligrams cholesterol, 393 milligrams sodium.
Credit: Meridith Ford
Credit: Meridith Ford
Classic Tiramisu
Perhaps Italy’s most famous dessert, the ways to make tiramisu vary as widely as the cooks who create it. One ingredient everyone agrees on: mascarpone cheese, Italy’s sweet, soft cream cheese. This recipe makes enough dessert for a crowd, but doesn’t divide well, so save it to make for a special occasion. It tastes even better when made the day before. Use a pretty trifle bowl to show off the layers.
- 1 cup brewed espresso or double-strong coffee
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup Marsala wine, divided
- 5 eggs, separated
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 pound (16 ounces) mascarpone cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 package (7-ounce) savoiardi or ladyfingers
- Grated dark chocolate or cocoa, for dusting (optional)
- In a small bowl, combine the brewed espresso or coffee, vanilla and 1/4 cup Marsala. Set aside at room temperature.
- Place enough water in the bottom of a double boiler so that it almost touches the top bowl. Remove the top bowl and bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Make the zabaglione: In the top of the double boiler, combine the egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk until the sugar begins to dissolve, about one minute. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk briskly while adding remaining 1/2 cup Marsala in a stream. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like texture; this will take less than 2 minutes. Be careful not to overcook or the mixture will have tiny lumps of cooked egg. (If overcooked, it can be challenging to remove the egg lumps. You can try pushing the mixture through a fine sieve.) Remove the mixture from the heat and scrape into a small bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- Place the mascarpone cheese in a small bowl and stir with a spoon or spatula until smooth. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, whip the heavy cream on low until the cream begins to thicken. Increase the speed to medium-high and add 1/4 cup sugar in a slow stream. Continue whipping until soft peaks form. Add the softened mascarpone cheese in three stages, whipping on low and scraping the sides after each addition.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold in the zabaglione until just combined. Scrape mixture into a large bowl, cover and refrigerate until needed.
- Wash the stand mixer bowl and dry it well. Return the bowl to the mixer. Add the egg whites and whip on high speed until frothy. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a stream; continue whipping until soft peaks form.
- Remove the zabaglione-mascarpone mixture from the refrigerator. Fold the egg white mixture into the zabaglione-mascarpone with a rubber spatula in three stages, turning the bowl a quarter turn each time, until the entire mixture is combined and smooth. Do not overmix.
- Dip a ladyfinger in the espresso mixture (do not over-soak — just a second is enough) and arrange in a single layer of a trifle bowl or 9-by-13-inch pan. Spoon one-third of the zabaglione mixture over the ladyfingers and spread into an even layer. Repeat the process two more times, creating alternating layers of ladyfingers and the zabaglione mixture. End with the zabaglione mixture. Smooth the top.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving so that the ladyfingers have enough time to soften. Will keep, refrigerated, for up to 2 days.
- Just before serving, sprinkle a thin layer of grated dark chocolate or a dusting of cocoa powder over the top, if desired.
Makes 12 (6-ounce) servings.
Per serving: 381 calories (percent of calories from fat, 67), 6 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrates, 17 grams total sugars, 7 grams fiber, 28 grams total fat (16 grams saturated), 192 milligrams cholesterol, 226 milligrams sodium.
Credit: Meridith Ford
Credit: Meridith Ford
Fig and Gorgonzola Tart
Using a store-bought pie crust makes this an easy weekday lunch or dinner. Use a Gorgonzola dolce, found in specialty cheese shops, or a Gorgonzola piccante — either will give the tart a delicious tang and will melt and pool around the figs and brown sugar.
The salad-topped tart is best when served at room temperature. If the tart is warm, it will quickly wilt the arugula (but still taste delicious).
- 1 prepared 9-inch pie crust
- 1 cup fresh figs, sliced
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped pecans
- 4 ounces Gorgonzola piccante
- 3 cups arugula
- Juice of one small lemon
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 slices prosciutto
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Unroll the pie crust onto a cookie sheet or pizza stone.
- In a medium bowl, combine the figs, brown sugar and chopped pecans. Toss until combined. Spread this mixture evenly over the pie crust, leaving a 1/2-inch margin at the edge. Crumble the Gorgonzola over the top, distributing evenly. Fold the sides of the crust inward around the edges of the tart to form a rim.
- Place the tart in the oven and bake until the figs begin to soften and the crust turns brown, about 12-15 minutes. The Gorgonzola will melt and pool.
- Remove the tart from the oven and cool to room temperature. Tart may be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to two days, then reheated in a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes to take the chill off.
- When ready to serve, in a medium bowl, toss arugula, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper until the arugula is coated. Shred the prosciutto with your hands and mix into the salad.
- Place the arugula salad over the top of the tart and serve at room temperature.
Serves 8.
Per serving: 281 calories (percent of calories from fat, 53), 6 grams protein, 27 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams total sugars, 2 grams fiber, 18 grams total fat (6 grams saturated), 14 milligrams cholesterol, 431 milligrams sodium.
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