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[1] No lettuce in this salad, just carrots, grapes, cheese, and herbs (photo © The Nibble).
[2] Once found only at farmers’ markets, rainbow carrots now appear at better food stores (photo © Artisan Restaurant).
[3] Buy seedless grapes; you’ll be cutting them in half for the recipe (photo © The Nibble).
[4] Garnishes for the salad include Italian parsley, toasted hazelnuts, mint, and ricotta salata (photo © The Nibble).
[5] There’s no need to buy white balsamic vinegar just for this recipe. Substitute white wine vinegar with honey or sugar, in a proportion of 1 tablespoon wine vinegar to 1/2 teaspoon honey or sugar (photo © The Nibble).
[6] Ground coriander seeds. Coriander is the dried seed of the cilantro herb. In the U.S., people call the green leaves and stems cilantro and the seeds coriander. In other parts of the world, the whole plant is simply called coriander (photo © Savory Spice Shop).
[7] Ricotta salata (photo © Good Eggs).
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Given the number of people we personally know who are avoiding lettuce right now, here’s a refreshing summer salad that has none of it, adding greens with accents of basil and mint.
It was created by the folks at the California Wine Institute to pair with two great summer wines, Sauvignon Blanc and Vermentino
Below:
> Carrot salad recipe.
> What is ricotta salata?
> How does ricotta salata differ from fresh ricotta?
> When to use ricotta salata.
> The history of ricotta salata.
Elsewhere on The Nibble:
> A brief history of carrots.
> The invention of baby carrots.
> Baby-cut carrots vs. true baby carrots: the longer story.
> Where do carrots get their color?
> The year’s 8 carrot holidays.
> 20+ yummy carrot recipes.
> 10+ delicious uses for carrot tops.
> The different types of cheese: a photo glossary.
> History of cheese.
> The year’s 30 cheese holidays.
1. RECIPE: CARROT SALAD WITH GRAPES, CORIANDER & RICOTTA SALATA
This salad puts it all on the plate: crunchy sweet carrots, sweet grapes that pop in your mouth, earthy coriander, and nutty, salty ricotta salata.
Vibrant, flavorful and refreshing, this lettuce-free salad is ready to pitch in when you’re not eating lettuce. It’s a perfect partner for everything from grilled salmon to roast chicken.
Enjoy with a chilled California white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Vermentino.
Thanks to the California Wine Institute for this recipe idea.
Ingredients For 4 Servings
1 pound (500g) rainbow carrots, peeled and julienned
1 cup (182g) green grapes, halved
For The Dressing
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (photo #5—you can substitute 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar plus 1 teaspoon sugar or honey)
1 tablespoon honey
1 shallot (47g), minced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
For The Garnish
¾ cup (113g) toasted hazelnuts, chopped (substitute pecans)
½ cup (10g) Italian parsley leaves
½ cup (8g) fresh mint leaves
¼ cup (47g) ricotta salata cheese, thinly sliced
Preparation
1. COMBINE the carrots and grapes in a large bowl.
2. WHISK together in a small bowl the olive oil, vinegar, honey, shallot, mustard, coriander, salt, and pepper. Pour three-quarters of the dressing over carrot mixture and toss to coat.
3. ARRANGE the carrot mixture on a platter. Top with hazelnuts, parsley, mint, and ricotta salata. Spoon the remaining dressing over the salad and serve.
2. WHAT IS RICOTTA SALATA?
Ricotta salata (photos #1, #7, and #8) is an Italian sheep’s milk cheese: an aged, salted, and pressed version of the soft, creamy, fresh ricotta.
Think of it as feta’s milder, nuttier Italian cousin: salty and tangy, but less briny, with a snowy-white, crumbly texture.
While fresh ricotta is known for its high moisture and spreadable texture, ricotta salata—which translates literally to “salted ricotta”—is a firm, dry, and crumbly cheese often compared to a mild feta or a young Pecorino.
Unlike most cheeses, which are made from freshly-coagulated curds, ricotta—fresh or other form—is a “re-cooked” product made from the proteins left behind in the whey after other cheeses (like Pecorino Romano) are produced. This results in tiny curd particles†.
Ricotta means re-cooked. Re-cooking the leftover whey results in a second set of curds, which are then pressed into molds: rectangles, rounds, and truncated pyramids are most common.
Pressing removes almost all the moisture, which creates the dry, crumbly texture. The cheese is heavily salted and aged for a minimum of two to three months.
The result is a pearly white paste with a milky, slightly nutty, and noticeably salty (but not overly salty) flavor.
How Ricotta Salata Differs From Fresh Ricotta
The primary differences between ricotta salata and fresh ricotta lie in their texture, flavor, and culinary uses.
Texture
Fresh ricotta is soft, wet, and grainy-yet-creamy, making it ideal for dolloping on pizzas or mixing into lasagna fillings.
Ricotta salata is firm and chalky. It cannot be spread but is perfect for crumbling, cubing, or shaving with a microplane or vegetable peeler.
Flavor
Fresh ricotta is mild, sweet, and predominantly tastes of fresh milk.
Ricotta salata, due to the curing and salting process, is savory and pungent, providing a salt kick similar to a dry feta but without the tang or funk of aged goat cheese.
Shelf Life
Fresh ricotta must be eaten within days of opening the container.
Ricotta salata, being an aged cheese, can last for several weeks in the refrigerator if kept properly wrapped.
Usage
Fresh ricotta is used as a base or a filling, or as a breakfast cheese, like cottage cheese. We like to season it as a spread, or lightly sweeten it to serve with berries.
Ricotta salata is a finishing cheese, used similarly to shaved Parmesan. Shave it over salads, roasted vegetables, or pasta dishes to provide a salty contrast.
Here’s a comparison of the two types‡ of ricotta:
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[8] A bowl of fresh ricotta and three shapes of aged ricotta salata (photo © The Nibble).
3. WHEN TO USE RICOTTA SALATA?
Ricotta salata is often described as a “finishing cheese” because its firm, dry, salty character makes it especially good shaved, grated, or crumbled over a finished dish—like Asiago, Grana Padano, and Parmigiano Reggiano. It delivers a bright, milky-salty accent.
Its classic role is as the cheese grated over Pasta alla Norma, Sicily’s famed tomato-and-eggplant pasta dish (photo #9, below).
Ricotta salata is typically used as a finishing touch for other tomato-based pastas, as well as for beans, grains, and roasted vegetables.
Antipasto. As part of an antipasto or cheese board, srve thin slices or cubes with olives, cured meats, crackers, honey, figs, grapes, and or melon slices.
Bean or grain dishes. Crumble it over farro, couscous, lentils, white beans, or chickpeas for a feta-like salty contrast.
Cooked vegetables. Finish roasted eggplant, zucchini, squash, peppers, green beans, mushrooms, or braised greens with grated ricotta salata.
Pasta. In addition Pasta alla Norma, slice or grate it over pasta with tomato sauce, olive oil and herbs, sautéed zucchini, peas, or roasted vegetables. Add it at the end rather than cooking it into the sauce.
Pizza and flatbreads. Scatter small crumbles over a finished pizza or add near the end of baking. It will soften somewhat with heat, but it does not melt smoothly like mozzarella.
Salads. Crumble or shave it over bitter greens, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, roasted beets, watermelon, peaches, grapes, or grains. Its saltiness plays especially well against sweet fruit and earthy vegetables.
Sandwiches and crostini. Add thin slices to a sandwich, or shave it over “Norma-style” crostini: toasted bread with olive oil, tomatoes, and roasted eggplant. It also makes tasty crostini by itself with a dab of honey.
[9] Pasta alla Norma, named after the heroine of the Bellini opera: tomatoes, sautéed eggplant, and a garnish of ricotta salata (photo © The Nibble).
4. THE HISTORY OF RICOTTA SALATA
The history of ricotta salata is deeply rooted in the agricultural traditions of Southern Italy, particularly in Sicily and Sardinia.
In a traditional Italian farmstead, women made the primary cheeses for the family or for sale. They were left with a massive pot of leftover whey.
Since they were already managing the fire in the kitchen, they were the ones re-cooking (ri-cotta) the whey to extract the very last bits of nourishment.
But some of the highly perishable fresh ricotta they made daily needed to preserved. By pressing and salting the cheese, they transformed a product with a shelf life of just a few days into a hardened pantry staple that could last through the winter and be easily transported to market.
Farm wives stocked the larder with ricotta salata, to ensure that the bounty of the spring milking season could be used as a seasoning for pasta and soups six months later.
Ricotta salata became a foundational ingredient in Sicilian cuisine, most famously as the finishing touch on Pasta alla Norma (photo above), a classic dish featuring eggplant, tomatoes, and basil accompanying the pasta and ricotta salata.
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*Substitutes for ground coriander in this recipe: You want a substitute that mimics ground coriander’s unique citrusy and floral earthiness without being overpowering. A 1:1 ratio of cumin and lemon zest is often the closest way to replicate the specific earthy-citrus profile of ground coriander in a fresh salad. Otherwise, the best choices:
Caraway seeds, the best match for complexity. Caraway has those anise and citrus notes that mimic the “bright” side of coriander. It pairs exceptionally well with carrots and salty cheese. Crush them slightly to release the oils.
Ground cumin, the best match for earthiness. Cumin has a similar earthy depth but is much stronger and “warmer.” Because it can be aggressive, use about half the amount of cumin as you would coriander so it doesn’t overwhelm the delicate sweetness of the grapes and carrots.
Fennel seeds, the best match with the grapes. Ground fennel or crushed fennel seeds provide a sweet, licorice-like aroma that complements the grapes beautifully. Like cumin, it’s potent, so start with a smaller amount.
Lemon zest, the best for “fresh” flavor. Since ground coriander is famous for its citrusy “pop,” a bit of fresh lemon zest added to the dressing can replicate that brightness. It will keep the raw carrot and grape flavors vibrant.
Garam masala. This spice blend usually contains a large percentage of ground coriander. Use it sparingly, as it also contains “warm” spices like cinnamon and cloves, which may shift the flavor profile of the salad slightly toward a spiced-Mediterranean vibe.
†When whey is reheated, its remaining whey proteins—mainly albumin and globulin—unfold and clump together, especially when the whey is naturally acidic or has a little acid (sour milk, vinegar) added. These delicate white particles (fine curds) rise to the surface to be skimmed or strained into ricotta. So while in the initial cheesemaking, rennet or acid coagulates the casein, forming the main cheese curd, re-cooking the whey (heat and acidity) coagulates leftover whey proteins producing the soft, fine ricotta curds.
‡You may see the term “ricotta dolce,” sweet ricotta. In Italian pastry shops, ricotta dolce usually refers to fresh ricotta that has been refined to use in sweet baked goods. It is strained longer to remove excess whey, making it much thicker and dryer. The drained cheese is whipped with sugar (and sometimes vanilla or orange zest) until completely smooth…and extremely delicious!
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