Once you have homemade whole milk ricotta cheese, the prepackaged stuff at the grocery just won’t cut it anymore. It is so creamy and light; homemade ricotta the perfect addition to any pasta, cookies, cake… you name it! Personally, I lost all self-control when I first tried creamy homemade ricotta served with grilled ciabatta bread and a smear of fig preserves. I couldn’t get this dish out of my head for weeks, so I finally broke down and made some cheese of my own.
As I was preparing my ingredients, my fiancé walked in the kitchen and smirked, “I knew it was only a matter of time before we started making our own cheese”. You see, he gets me.
Making ricotta cheese is so easy I am ashamed that it took me 27 years to do so. If you know how to boil water, you can make this cheese. Just add your milk, cream and salt into a heavy 6-quart pot and bring to a rolling boil. Stir occasionally so not to scorch the milk. Add lemon juice and reduce heat until the mixture curdles. Pour into a colander lined with cheese cloth and allow the whey to drain for approximately 30 minutes. THAT’S IT! Pop it in the fridge for a few hours and enjoy with warm, crusty French bread.
Ricotta is so versatile. I like to top mine with a drizzle of olive oil and serve with fig preserves and pecans. You can also go for a savory ricotta appetizer; top the ricotta cheese with chives and serve with crusty baguette and prosciutto. This time around, we enjoyed a sweet, creamy ricotta appetizer and homemade lasagna. I know, cheese overload. We don’t call it the Blue Cheese Bungalow for nothing!
Follow the simple steps in my recipe below and let me know if you have any questions.
Ingredients
- 1 gallon whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Juice of one lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
- Cheesecloth
Instructions
- 1. Line a colander with cheesecloth and place over a large bowl.
- 2. Slowly bring milk, cream and salt to a rolling boil in a heavy pot. Stir occasionally to avoid scorching the milk.
- 3. Add lemon juice and reduce heat to medium-low until the mixture curdles (about 2 to 3 minutes).
- 4. Pour the mixture into the colander lined with cheese cloth. Allow mixture to drain for approximately 30 minutes.
- 5. Discard liquid. Place ricotta in the fridge and allow to chill. Can be served up to three days.