Ricotta forte

Ricotta forte is a traditional Apulian cheese. This white cheese is made from sheep's or goat's milk. The texture is creamy and spreadable, the aromas pungent, and the flavors spicy and intense. Originally, it was produced by the shepherds who made it as a way to use the surplus of ricotta production.

They placed it to wooden or clay containers with some salt, and the cheese was then mixed a couple times per week for at least 3 months. Finally, the cheese was covered with fig leaves and then left to mature and drain. Ricotta forte is traditionally spread on warm bread, and in the past it was offered to guests as a sign of welcome, always with some red tomatoes on the side.

It can also be fried in stuffed zucchini blossoms or combined with a traditional Italian long pasta type known as sagne 'ncannulate. Pair it with full-bodied red wines.