Let's say you want to make a really incredible Italian dinner for your loved ones. Your menu includes lasagna for your entree, and cannoli for your dessert.
You write out your grocery list, throw the kids in the back of your El Camino, and speed off to the store.
You stroll down the cheese aisle, and reach your hand out, for some rich, full-fat ricotta cheese. You look down at the container, examine it, and notice it's Sargento's part-skim ricotta cheese. You shudder, put the cheese back, and pick up the other brand of ricotta cheese that's sitting there. It's Frigo's part-skim ricotta cheese. What?? These are your only options? Where's the real stuff?
You really wanted to impress your family & friends with your flavorful Italian dinner. Now what do you do?
a) Buy the part-skim, hope for the best, and make Lou Gentine a richer man.
b) Decide to make your own, and buy some heavy cream, whole milk, and a lemon.
c) Forget the dinner, throw the kids in the back of your El Camino, and speed home.
The answer is B. Making your own whole-milk ricotta cheese is really easy! You can tell all of your loved ones that you made ricotta cheese, and impress them.
It tastes so creamy, that you'll want to eat it by the spoonful. Read the recipe below, to find out how to make this cheese. Just be careful to use cheesecloth or some coffee filters, to strain the curds from the whey. Don't use what you think is cheesecloth, but really isn't, and upset your mom.
Homemade Ricotta Cheese (Recipe by Emily)
Printable Recipe
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Line a colander with two layers of cheesecloth or a few coffee filters, and place it over a large bowl.
In a large saucepan over moderate heat, bring milk, cream and salt to a boil. Stir gently and occasionally to keep the milk from scorching. Add the lemon juice and simmer, stirring until the mixture curdles, separating into curds and whey, about 2 minutes. Cover the pot, remove from the heat and let stand for 20 minutes.
Pour the mixture gently into the cheesecloth-lined colander and let it drain for about an hour. Discard the liquid and put the ricotta in a covered container and refrigerate. Use within three days.
Makes about 1 cup
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9 comments:
I've always wanted to make my own ricotta! I looooove it.
Ha! I just made lasagna for dinner last night!! My grocery store had the full fat ricotta, but this is great to know for the times that I can't find it!
hey i didnt know its possible to make your own ricotta cheese..i need to try this one :-) i just found a good pizza recipe that calls for it..hmmm could feel the taste already
Hmm, I should send this to my sister. Last year she kept trying to make cannoli, and all the ricotta brands made them taste like crap. She made some when I went home, and both of my uncles were there. both of my parents grew up in NY and grew up on cannoli. My dad and one uncle told my sister they were awful, inedible, disgusting. My husband said they tasted fine. My dad and uncle yelled at him, "That's b/c you're not Italian!" My other uncle also said they tasted fine, but he was also drunk at the time so nobody paid attention to him.
That's fabulous! I can't believe I missed this entry!! I mean, to think, I almost missed this entry!! Makes me shudder.
Thank you SO much for posting this. Are you going to make those cookies now??
Love,
Julie
Dana- It's easy and fun. I felt like I was in Switzerland when I was making it.
Deb- You're very lucky. We don't have the full fat kind. It's completely different.
Dhanggit- A pizza with ricotta would be very tasty.
Amy- Ha ha. You're drunk uncle.
Sounds like your family definitely knows their cannoli.
I would love to try making cannoli. I've never tasted them either.
Julie- You're good! You don't have to hit every post, it's ok.
I'm always thinking about making cookies.
I come back again because I saw the homemade rIcotta, I made a Ricotta's kuchen, so will be wonderful if I could make dear!!!! And also a canellonis with rioctta mmmmmm!!!Gloria (many thanks)
oh, i definitely have to try this. would it work with skim milk, do you think?
Katy- It's good to hear from you. I love your site!
Yes, you could use skim milk, but then it wouldn't be as creamy. Of course if you use cream and skim milk, you would end up with a reduced fat ricotta, which is better for you anyway.
I want to make my own mozzarella, now.
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