The best thing about making homemade ricotta is that it is made from everyday, common ingredients that are always available in your home. So I encourage you to give it a try!
Ricotta cheese is classified as a soft, unripened cheese. It has its origins in Italy, but is now made world-wide, and even you can even make it in your own home!
Ricotta is typically made from cow's milk, and it has a sweet, almost nut-like flavour.
Because of its soft texture, ricotta has many uses in food preparation, such as in appetizers, salads, casseroles, and desserts.
This recipe is courtesy of Karen M.
Yield: Approximately 2 cups.
Equipment:
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Assemble all ingredients and equipment.
Squeeze lemon to obtain 2 1/2 tablespoons of fresh juice.
In the stockpot, place milk, cream, and salt. Bring to a medium-high heat.
While stirring, bring to a temperature of 190o F. Stir frequently so that milk/cream does not burn and scorch your stockpot (You'd regret the cleanup!)
After milk mixture has reached 190o F, remove it from the heat.
Add vinegar and lemon juice: stir to combine vinegar and juice with milk mixture.
The curds should start to form within 5 minutes of removal from the heat. If you do not see the curds separating from the whey, allow the mixture to rest for no more than 5 more minutes. And, if necessary, add more vinegar, in increments of 1 tablespoon at a time, until you see the curds separate.
Meanwhile, assemble the strainer over the large bowl. Take at least 2 layers of cheesecloth (or tea towel); rinse it in cold water to dampen and then ring out and place into strainer and over bowl.
Slowly pour the curdled mixture into the cheesecloth/strainer. Let the ricotta drain from the whey for 45 minutes to an hour. (Note: the longer the ricotta drains, the drier it becomes.)
If you wish, you can use the whey (liquid) for something else.
Carefully remove the ricotta from the cheesecloth with a spoon. Place into an airtight container. Stir. Cover and then refrigerate. Discard cheesecloth or tea towel.
This homemade Ricotta should last, refrigerated, for up to 5 days.
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