What soft, unripened cheese is made from whey?

The soft, unripened cheese made from whey is ricotta. Unlike most cheeses, ricotta is produced from the liquid whey left after another cheese has been made. Heat and acid cause the remaining whey proteins—especially albumin and globulin—to form delicate curds.

The name ricotta means “recooked” in Italian, describing the second heating process. Production in the Italian peninsula dates back at least to the Bronze Age, and the cheese became especially associated with shepherds who could turn leftover whey into a fresh, nutritious food.

Fresh ricotta is creamy white, lightly sweet, and highly perishable. It appears in lasagne, ravioli, cannoli, cheesecake, calzone, and Neapolitan pastiera. Ricotta salata is a different, firmer form that is salted, pressed, dried, and aged. Ricotta is often confused with cream cheese, but cream cheese is made from milk or cream and has a denser, tangier texture.