Ricotta is a dairy product based on whey, which is therefore not produced from milk - as it happens for cheeses - but from the liquid part of milk, which separates from the curd after cheese making. In its traditional form Ricotta is fresh, creamy, slightly sweet and with a low fat content (usually around 5-10%). Both in home consumption and in catering, Ricotta can be reduced to a soft cream which is enriched with sugar, cinnamon and occasionally chocolate chips and served as a dessert. This basic preparation (usually with the addition of citron and pistachios) is used as a filling for the traditional, crispy and fragile Sicilian Cannoli and to make Palermo's famous Cassata. Combined with eggs and cooked wheat, Ricotta is also the main ingredient of Neapolitan Pastiera, one of the most famous Italian cakes in the world, which is associated to Easter festivities. However, Ricotta is also used in other dishes, other than desserts. Some variants of the traditional recipe of Lasagne allow, for example, the use of Ricotta cheese.