I remember the day when I first googled 'how to make ricotta cheese'. It was a blizzard and I really wanted lasagna but had no ricotta. I figured it was a long shot but maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Turns out, it's not! I had several pints of ricotta in less than 45 minutes!
Store brands put many different additives and stabilizers into their product. Because it is made in production, it doesn't get strained like it should, so they add stabilizers like xanthan gum and guar gum to thicken before packaging.
This homemade ricotta is so creamy and wonderful. It is delicious in Italian dishes with fresh parsley. I also like to whip mine with honey and serve with crepes or lemon pancakes.
yield: 1 pint
Fresh Ricotta Cheese
This homemade ricotta is so creamy and wonderful. It is delicious in Italian dishes with fresh parsley. I also like to whip mine with honey and serve with crepes or lemon pancakes.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 gallon whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Bring to a boil - In a heavy bottomed pot, bring your milk and cream to a rolling boil. I keep a close eye on it, stirring frequently. The temperature should be around 180°F but I go by eye. When the milk hits a boil, it can foam up very quickly. Be ready to shut the heat off quickly. If you have an electric pressure cooker, I've seen recipes that start the boil using yogurt mode. I personally like to stay by the milk, stirring and watching it, so when I do it in my pressure cooker, I put it on saute.
- Add acid- When it hits a rolling boil, I turn off the heat and quickly stir in my salt and vinegar. If you are working on an electric stove, move your pot to a different burner.
- Let sit- Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Once your 15 minutes are up you should see curds that have separated from the whey.
- Strain- I use a cheese cloth layered over a fine mesh strainer. Let strain for 10-20 minutes. The longer you strain, the more dry your curds will be. For lasagna and pizza, you want to let it strain between 15-20 minutes. This strained for 20 minutes
Created using The Recipes Generator
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