Last week I had a Christmas wish for a favorite treat from Italy. The dessert I planned included a hefty amount of ricotta cheese. Have you priced ricotta cheese lately? It's almost $8 for 32 oz. Well, for the price of a gallon of milk I can make ricotta that tastes better than anything I've ever bought in the store and is less than half the cost. Plus, it is SO easy. Here's how you do it:
Homemade Ricotta Cheese
I always use whole milk because everything I've read says this produces the best quality cheese. Please let me know in the comments if you do something else. Sometimes I also add a cup of heavy cream for a dessert cheese. This recipe is the perfect amount for a 9x13 pan of lasagna or stuffed shells, but it can easily be halved.
Ingredients
1 gallon whole milk
3 Tbsp + 1 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp salt
Instructions
1 In a large pot, over medium heat, bring the milk, vinegar, and salt to a near boil. Be patient, it takes about 30 minutes and looks like lots of steam and foam. If you want to use a thermometer, your looking for a temp around 180 degrees. Don't let the milk scorch or your ricotta will be ruined. Very gently boil for one to two minutes, until the milk is curdled.
2 Meanwhile, line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth and set it over a deep bowl. Save your whey. Put it in a few freezer bags. I'll have some recipes for how to use that soon.
3 Pour the milk mixture into the strainer and let drain for 15 minutes. Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and squeeze gently to extract any excess liquid.
Makes 4 cups.
Use immediately for lasagna, pizza, salads, cannoli or any other Italian treat. Or, store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for several days.
Homemade Ricotta Cheese
I always use whole milk because everything I've read says this produces the best quality cheese. Please let me know in the comments if you do something else. Sometimes I also add a cup of heavy cream for a dessert cheese. This recipe is the perfect amount for a 9x13 pan of lasagna or stuffed shells, but it can easily be halved.
Ingredients
1 gallon whole milk
3 Tbsp + 1 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp salt
Instructions
1 In a large pot, over medium heat, bring the milk, vinegar, and salt to a near boil. Be patient, it takes about 30 minutes and looks like lots of steam and foam. If you want to use a thermometer, your looking for a temp around 180 degrees. Don't let the milk scorch or your ricotta will be ruined. Very gently boil for one to two minutes, until the milk is curdled.
2 Meanwhile, line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth and set it over a deep bowl. Save your whey. Put it in a few freezer bags. I'll have some recipes for how to use that soon.
3 Pour the milk mixture into the strainer and let drain for 15 minutes. Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and squeeze gently to extract any excess liquid.
Makes 4 cups.
Use immediately for lasagna, pizza, salads, cannoli or any other Italian treat. Or, store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for several days.
3 comments:
I always (ALWAYS) burn my milk.
Maybe I need to pick up a cup of patience from the health food store.
I have done it once with this recipe and it was a sad, ruined waste of a gallon of whole milk. The trick is to never put your heat above medium and have a good book or some other kitchen chores handy. You don't need constant vigilance, but you do need occasional stirring and checking.
You lost me at cheesecloth. Darn it. But after a trip to the store someday, I'll be back.
Post a Comment