Recipes, Snacks / April 20, 2017

I knew it was only a matter of time before we started making our own cheese

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.

Homemade Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese is so easy to make you will impress your guests and yourself for that matter! *Hint* For a creamier cheese, add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream per one cup of ricotta. Whisk until combined and enjoy!
*Hint* For a creamier cheese (pictured), add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream per one cup of ricotta. Whisk until combined and enjoy!

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.

Homemade Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese

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!

Lasagna Prep with Whole Milk Lasagna
Mid-lasagna prep – you can see the texture of the ricotta before whisking in the added cream

Follow the simple steps in my recipe below and let me know if you have any questions.

 

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