A Cheese Primer

• Ricotta cheese is an Italian cheese, made from the whey, or liquid produced when making other cheeses, such as mozzarella or provolone. It has a rich, creamy, yet slightly granular consistency, and it's a staple in Italian desserts and pasta sauces, as well as cheesecakes. Cottage cheese is a soft cheese made by adding a souring agent, such as vinegar or lactic acid, to milk. The milk curdles, causing the solids -- curds -- to separate from the whey. The curds are then cut, pressed and cooked to remove even more of the liquid. Ricotta and cottage cheese are similar, although cottage cheese may contain more salt and has a firmer texture.

In the Cheesecake

• You can replace ricotta cheese with cottage cheese in a cheesecake with a little preparation. Cottage cheese has a pronounced globular texture that will be evident in the cheesecake. Place it in a fine sieve, and rinse the cottage cheese to remove some of the salt; let it drain for 20 to 30 minutes.Toss the cottage cheese in the food processor and blend it until it's smooth. At this point, it will closely resemble ricotta. Use it just as you would ricotta, in the same amounts.

Buying Tips

• Cheesecake isn't diet food, and you'll be disappointed if you try to make it so. Cream cheese contains almost 90 percent fat, which is what gives cheesecake its dense, creamy texture. For the best flavor and texture, stick with whole milk ricotta or whole milk cottage cheese, as well. For a lighter version, use fat-free or 2 percent cottage cheese.

Mix It Up

• Whether you use ricotta or cottage cheese in your cheesecake, a few extra steps ensure success. First, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. Set the eggs, cream cheese, cottage cheese and any other refrigerated ingredients on the countertop at least 30 minutes to one hour before you make the cheesecake. Room temperature ingredients ensures that they'll blend and bake evenly. Mix the cream cheese alone until it's smooth before you add other ingredients and scrape the sides of the bowl frequently. Keep your mixer on the low setting. Higher settings beat air into the cheesecake, causing it to deflate later.