Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Sure, it's easy to pick up a carton of ricotta, but if you have time and want a beautiful cheese, you should know that you can make Homemade Ricotta Cheese!
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to a 4-quart pot. Bring to a very gentle boil over medium to medium-high heat. Meanwhile, line a sieve or fine mesh strainer with a unbleached cheesecloth and place it over a deep bowl or pot.
- Once the curds begin to separate from the whey (you'll see little specks of white bob to the surface), stir gently and set heat to the lowest setting (see NOTE). Cook for 2 more minutes, then remove pot from heat and set on an unlit back burner for at least 30 minutes, and up to one hour to further develop the curds. In order to get the most curds, resist the temptation to stir frequently.
- Gently ladle the curds into the cheesecloth-lined strainer. This helps produce a fluffier, creamier curd than pouring it does. When all the curds have been spooned into the bowl, pull the cheesecloth up the sides to loosely cover the ricotta in the strainer. Let sit for 10 minutes to drain. This will yield a moist ricotta. If you are using it for baking, you may want to let it drain longer for a drier consistency.
- Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.
Notes
After you've strained out the curds, you'll find yourself with about a quart of whey ... the thin liquid that's left. Here's how to put that to use:
- Use it in cream sauces or soups ... just like you'd use milk or cream. Think chowders, potato soup, alfredo sauce ...
- Use it when soaking grains or nuts. Whey adds flavor and probiotics to the nuts or grains. Or replace some of the liquid with whey when cooking grains.
- Bake with it. The acidity of whey has a softening effect on glutenous bread and pizza dough ... even sourdough recipes.
- Use it in smoothies! Replace the milk, yogurt, or other liquid with whey.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!