Ricotta

This, strictly speaking, is not really a cheese but a sort of by-product of cheesemaking.

It is made from the drained whey and then cooked; in Italian, the word ricotta means re-cooked. It has a mild, fresh lactic flavour and contains only 14 per cent fat. It is actually delicious just by itself served with summer fruits, and I have eaten it freshly made in Apulia, Italy, sprinkled with coarse salt, pepper and olive oil, with really good bread.