Cookbook

In Puglia, Italy’s heel, one finds a delicious condiment virtually unknown even in the rest of Italy. This is ricotta forte, an extra-aged version of ricotta cheese whose flavour can range between being mellow with age and similar to a French blue in its sharpness. Ricotta forte cannot easily be found outside Puglia, but it is easy to make. Empty a container of good quality ricotta into a terracotta jar, stir, and cover. Leave in a convenient cupboard or corner of your kitchen, for it should be stirred daily for around three months, at which time it will have become dense, creamy yellow in colour, and piquantly fragrant. At this point, put it in a jar and refrigerate. In addition to pasta ricotta forte, it can be used as a condiment on crackers or crostini.