Ricotta di Bufala Campana is a product obtained through the processing of the 'first whey' (sweet) obtained in the cheese-making process which uses milk from the Mediterranea Italiana buffalo breed. The production area is within the provinces of Benevento, Caserta, Naples and Salerno in Campania; the provinces of Frosinone, Latina and Rome in the Lazio region; the Province of Foggia in the Apulia region and Isernia in the Molise region.
Since the arrival of buffalo in Southern Italy in the XVI century, the production of Ricotta di Bufala Campana and Mozzarella di Bufala Campana has been very closely linked. Ricotta di Bufala Campana is different from other ricotta cheeses due to its creamy consistency, softness, color and sweet milky aromas, characteristics which are given to the fact that buffalo whey is richer in fats and free from lipase, an enzyme that can influence the sensory properties of fat.
The ricotta is porcelain white, rindless, with a grainy but not sandy consistency that is soft and creamy. The flavor is characteristic, fresh and slightly sweet, whilst the aroma is reminiscent of milk and cream. It can be eaten on its own or used as an ingredient in many recipes and stuffed dishes.