To make ricotta salata (salted, aged ricotta), the whey of sheep’s milk (i.e., fresh ricotta) is drained, pressed by hand to ensure as much liquid is removed as possible, salted, and then aged in baskets (like this one pictured) for at least 90 days. In the old days, wicker or wood baskets were used, but today, these plastic baskets are employed–which is why when you buy your aged, dry cheese it has a basket-pattern on the outside. It is enjoyed grated or shaved onto pasta and salad dishes.
Allison Scola is founder, owner, and curator of Experience Sicily and the Cannoli Crawl. Named one of the experts for the 2019 New York Times Travel Show, Scola writes and lectures on Sicily and leads immersive tours and designs custom itineraries that delight discerning travelers. She has been featured on Rudy Maxa’s World with the Carey’s, America’s #1 Travel Radio Show and as the cannoli expert in the documentary Cannoli, Traditions Around the Table. Scola has lectured about Sicily at University of Pennsylvania, The New School, LIU Post University, Queens College, Westchester Italian Cultural Center, at high schools in the New York City metropolitan area, and at events in New York City.
