Spreadable cheese is not usually the first preparation to come to mind when one thinks of Italian cuisine. While Italian food is popular around the world, dozens of lesser-known Italian recipes persist – some might not even seem “Italian” at first glance, but to locals, they're just as Italian as carbonara.
The cuisine of Trieste, a city on the Adriatic that's the capital of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, reflects a melting pot of the region's different heritages. One of its signatures is Liptauer Triestino an almost frothy, spreadable cheese made with sheep's milk ricotta and flavored with paprika. It originated during the days of Austro-Hungarian rule, and has since evolved into a regional staple.
Slather the cheese on some toast for an aperitivo or a quick lunch, or enjoy it alongside some crackers, breadsticks, and even friselle.
As is the case with most Italian recipes, several Liptauer variations abound. The most standard contains a base of fresh sheep's milk ricotta, but it's not uncommon to find versions with goat cheese or a mixture of different types of ricotta instead of only the sheep’s milk variety or to mix different kinds of paprika for a sweet or spicy recipe.
Recipe for Liptauer Triestino Cheese
Ingredients:
6 oz. fresh sheep’s milk ricotta cheese
3 oz. mascarpone cheese
3 oz. sweet gorgonzola
chives
sweet or spicy paprika
pinch of salt
Method:
Start by crushing the ricotta cheese in a large container with a fork or with an electric mixer. Add the mascarpone and gorgonzola, and continue to mix vigorously, gradually adding the finely chopped chives and paprika.
Once all the ingredients are well blended and the cheese has reached the consistency of a mousse, season with salt one last time and serve.
Browse the photo gallery for more tips on how to serve this spreadable cheese.