Do you have fresh sheep's ricotta?
a la ri-KOT-ta FRE-sha di PE-ko-ra
Asking for a specific type of ricotta at a cheese or dairy stall.
Italian ricotta comes in several varieties: di pecora (sheep's milk), di bufala (buffalo), di vacca (cow's milk), and di capra (goat). Sheep's ricotta is richer and more flavourful, essential for authentic Sicilian cassata, Sardinian seadas, and Campanian pastiera. It is also less widely available than cow's milk ricotta.
Ha la ricotta di bufala?
Do you have buffalo ricotta?
Buffalo ricotta is prized in Campania
È ricotta freschissima?
Is the ricotta very fresh?
Emphasising freshness — ricotta deteriorates quickly
Quando è stata fatta?
When was it made?
Asking the production date
Cassata siciliana, one of Italy's most elaborate desserts, requires fresh sheep's ricotta sweetened with sugar and mixed with candied fruit, encased in marzipan and sponge. The tradition originated in Palermo's Arab period (9th–11th century) and is a UNESCO-recognised intangible cultural heritage of Sicily.