Ricotta is a dairy product made with whey leftover from cheese production. While in the United States, it's mostly made from whole cow's milk, in Italy, sheep, cow, goat, and buffalo ricotta is also popular. Ricotta has a milky flavor and a soft and creamy texture that is excellent for making sweet and savory recipes. Ricotta means "re-cooked" in Italian. That's because the leftover whey used to make ricotta is cooked again - twice in total.