So this isn’t true ricotta because that’s made with stuff that is left over from making cheese, and I used whole milk and heavy cream. But the end result is pretty similar, and a bit better than ricotta you find at the grocery store, and it’s pretty easy to make. I’d make it all the time, except as I mentioned, it’s made using whole milk and heavy cream which means I’d have to work out twice as much to make up for it. Anyway, as for other ingredients just a little vinegar (or other acid – I might try lemon juice next time) and salt.
Let it curdle, which seems wrong, but this is how cheese is made. I kind of like to forget that when eating cheese, so I pull a little doublethink and enjoy my cheese while in denial – even if I made it and saw it curdle. I wonder who first made cheese, thinking it would be a good idea to let milk curdle? Then again I suppose if you are hungry enough… Plus, cheesemonger is a pretty nifty job title. After the curdling you strain it. I used a cheesecloth but apparently you can use paper towel as well. Also I didn’t have a good way to support the cheese cloth with the ricotta in it so I ended up holding it over a pot for about 20mins.
And you just drain it until your desired consistency and put it in the fridge for a couple hours. Although it does toughen up a little in the fridge. Mine came out closer to a cream cheese consistency. Still very good though. It was better than the store bought stuff, but didn’t last as long in the fridge, only a couple days.
There it is in all it’s glory. Soon I’ll have to make some homemade pasta to go along with homemade ricotta. I probably won’t even use a sauce. Maybe more homemade cheese though. Even if it’s getting harder and harder to practice my doublethink about the milk curdling while enjoying it.
Recipe:
-3 cups whole milk
-1 cup heavy cream
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-3 tablespoons acid (vinegar, buttermilk, lemon juice)
Combine milk, heavy cream and salt into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Add acid and stir for a few seconds and then let the mixture curdle.
Strain mixture using cheese cloth or paper towel until desired consistency (keep in mind it will firm up a bit in the fridge). I strained for about 20mins and it came out close to cream cheese. Cool in the fridge for a couple hours.