Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Ricotta is very easy to prepare in your home kitchen. I like to make this recipe to showcase the cheese in its natural form, not necessarily to fill a lasagna or stuff manicotti. It is beautiful when smeared on warm brown bread, topped with English peas and a drizzle of wildflower honey. Ricotta cheese is high in protein and is excellent when paired with sweet or savory accompaniments.

An instant-read thermometer is very helpful in this preparation, although not necessary. Just follow the directions carefully.

In my future posts, I will share recipe inspirations for ways to enjoy ricotta less traditionally. I aim to give Ricotta Cheese her time in the spotlight, like a movie star, she can finally have the stage to herself.

                                           Fresh Ricotta

You will need cheesecloth for straining and, if you have, an instant-read thermometer.

Yields: approximately 2 cups

Ingredients:

2  quarts of  whole milk (see Note)

1 cup heavy cream

½ teaspoon of kosher salt

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

I use whole milk bottled in glass from my local specialty market. It still has the cream on the top, and I believe it to be more flavorful. Any whole milk will do.

Directions:

Line the sieve with cheesecloth and place over a large bowl. 

Heat the milk, heavy cream and salt in a medium saucepan.  Do not bring to a full boil. Insert an instant-read thermometer, and when it reads 185 to 190 degrees, add the lemon juice and stir once around and stop. Try to maintain the 185-degree temperature on or off the heat without stirring for about 15 minutes.

With a large spoon place the curds into a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth and place over a medium bowl.  The longer the cheese strains, the thicker it will become. Within 20 minutes, the ricotta should be set and creamy.  Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding cheesecloth and whey. If it becomes too thick, you can add a few spoons of heavy cream.

Cover and chill the cheese for up to three days.

Inspirations:

a.       Crostini; Spread ricotta on sliced baguette, drizzle with honey and pistachios. Slices of fresh strawberries, figs, plum, pears, and peaches are also options.

b.       Tartines are slices of bread with a sweet or savory topping. Lightly toast the bread  (I prefer a hearty multigrain) and smear the ricotta over it. Drizzle with prepared pesto and chopped tomatoes for a savory treat.

c.       Breakfast: Toasted bread, ricotta cheese, crisp crumbled bacon, and chopped arugula?

d.       Dip:  Whip the ricotta with olive oil, sea salt, herbs, and some lemon rind. Serve with good crusty bread and or breadsticks.

NOTE: In future posts, I will share recipe “templates” for basic Crostini and Tartine.