How to make ricotta cheese at home

I didn’t know how to make ricotta cheese at home. I had tried once with bad results and didn’t insist then. As I am a ricotta lover, to please my taste, it has to be good.

For a long time, I didn’t think about trying to make it at home, as I am fortunate to have a market close to home where they sell local artisan ricotta cheese. I have always bought these to eat as it is as to prepare desserts other than sweet and savory tarts.

Some weeks ago I saw this recipe on the fabulous blog Alexandra Cooks and as I cook often many of her recipes (such as ratatouille and cheesecake), I decided to give it a try.

Success! Fabulous! I prepared it again the day after. Not only because it is so tasty, but also because it is extremely easy and quick to prepare. One day I was ready to go out for dinner and, while waiting for my husband to prepare himself…I made ricotta!

I believe the small perforated plastic baskets used to prepare ricotta are very useful and permit you to have beautiful ricotta cheeses to take to the table. But it will work perfectly also with cheesecloth and a colander.

You can eat your ricotta cheese as you prefer, as it is, with pasta and also with a thread of honey as a dessert as I often do.

Ingredients (3 small ricotta cheese):

• 33.8 oz whole milk
• 13.5 oz cream
• 3 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Place your cheesecloth over a colander or use the perforated ricotta plastic baskets.
2. Put milk and cream into capacious steel or enameled pan, add salt and mix well.
3. Turn on the gas and bring it to a full boil stirring occasionally.
4. Turn off the gas, add vinegar and stir.
5. Let it rest for a couple of minutes until it curdles. You will have curdles and whey (liquid part).
6. Pour the mixture into your colander or plastic perforated baskets and let it sit for about 25/30 min.
7. Occasionally discard the liquids that collect in the bowl – keep it for other recipes, as to make bread.
8. You can eat your ricotta freshly made or keep it covered with plastic wrap into the fridge (it lasts for 4 to 5 days).
9. Buon appetito!