MY ITALY post No. 2 " Breakfast Italian Style"

This is a post about ricotta cheese, somewhat of a staple here in the south of Italy. Our quest for the freshest ricotta possible begins at 8 am with a drive throught the Calabrian countryside.

Cheesecake as we know it in North America has no similarity to what would be called cheesecake here...Crostata di Ricotta (cheesecake Italian style) is a wonderful desert light and simple and only one of the many things that ricotta is used for. We also know ricotta when it is added to lasagna, manicotti, or less well known is frittata di ricotta, similar to an omelet. My personal favorite "Cannoli Siciliani" Sicily's famous cannoli that are of course filled with ricotta! 

I know we have arrived when I notice the sheep  grazing on the hillsides, the cows on the other hand were happily munching on fresh hay in the stall.

In a small room, attached to the stall is a large copper pot on the boil over a gas fire. A larger basin holds the curds and whey. The curds are being made into forms of cheese that will cure over the next year. The whey is slowly added to the copper pot where the ricotta will form.

Tapping the copper pot with a wooden pole assists the ricotta to rise to the top- once the ideal temperature is reached the ricotta is skimmed off the top and put into cheese containers.

 

The most obscure and traditional way to eat ricotta, I assume would be foreign to most because it entails close proximity to the farm. "Ricotta con siero" is what we came for  this morning. A peasant food fondly remembered by those who grew up here. It doesn't get any fresher than this!!

Hard bread is broken into a bowl and moistened with a generous amount of ricotta and a good amount of "siero" the liquid that remains with the production of the ricotta. I apologize for the gruel like appearance, I can assure you it tastes much better than it looks! 

Another herd of sheep arrive as we eat our breakfast on the farm. Golden hillsides dotted with blooming oleander, olive trees and yellow wildflowers abound. A sight to behold, a day to remember! I took many pictures which are sure to become frescoes soon! All will be unveiled at the 20th anniversary exhibit at the Celebration of Fine Art in Scottsdale Arizona.  

Visit again soon as my next post will be about my trip to Sicily! A presto e Buon Apetito!!