How to make homemade ricotta cheese

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This homemade ricotta cheese recipe is healthier than store-bought ricotta, made with simple ingredients, and richer in flavor. 

How do I describe ricotta cheese? Delicious, fluffy, and moist! How do I describe a ricotta cheese made at home? Again, delicious, fluffy, moist, made with 3 simple ingredients, one of the easy food recipes to make, and definitely among the quick easy recipes to prepare. Originally, the authentic ricotta cheese recipe made in Italy consists of making ricotta cheese from whey. Cheesemakers used to cook the whey and then drain it to form the little curds of the ricotta. On the contrary, nowadays ricotta is not made anymore from whey but from heated whole milk. Some people tend to add cream to the recipe. However, through this recipe, you will be able to produce homemade ricotta cheese without cream. Although it is richer in fat than the traditionally made ricotta, this method produces a savory flavorful, ricotta cheese at last.

Now let’s go back to an important fact: How to make ricotta cheese at home is one of the quick easy recipes that you can prepare. Why? Simply because it is made with 3 ingredients that you find in your fridge and pantry most of the time. Additionally, you can wrap it up in just 30 minutes. Yes. 30 minutes only. You need to boil the milk to 80 °C, then add the lemon juice and let it rest for 20 minutes. After that, you just transfer the curds over the cheesecloth to drain the extra whey, add salt and it’s a wrap.

Why should I make ricotta cheese at home?

The answer to this question is very simple. First, homemade ricotta cheese is healthier than store-bought ricotta. It is preservatives-free and made with simple ingredients. Furthermore, homemade ricotta is also richer in flavor and texture.

Additionally, as ricotta cheese is used in different recipes from salty to sweet ones, you can control the level of how wet or dry your ricotta will be depending on the recipe you are making, thanks to the possibility to control how much whey you want to drain.

Finally, making ricotta cheese at home is considered value for money as 4 cups of whole milk reward you with a full cup of ricotta cheese.

Which milk should you use?

Whole milk is the best option to choose if you want to make ricotta cheese at home. It makes the separation between the whey and the curds smooth and easy. I use lactose-free milk, and it is as well a good option if you have lactose intolerance. However, it is best to avoid kinds of milk such as skimmed milk, low or zero fat milk, and UHT milk. These kinds of milk make the separation process hard.

Ricotta cheese versus cottage cheese?

Compared to Ricotta, Cottage cheese is moister and lumpier. It is also lower in fat.

Cottage cheese is usually juicier while ricotta cheese tends to be sweeter. You may use one instead of the other in some recipes, but that does not mean that cottage cheese can replace ricotta cheese without affecting the overall flavor.

What do you need for this recipe?

3 ingredients:

• Whole milk: as I mentioned above, avoid using skimmed milk or low-fat milk. Our aim is to separate the curds from the whey and such milk kinds will make it hard. Therefore, it is always recommended to make ricotta cheese with whole milk.
• Lemon Juice: like in every recipe there is a secret ingredient. The lemon juice is what will start creating the curds
•  Vinegar: The vinegar will make the break up between the curds and the whey. You can disregard this ingredient if you are fine to wait for 20 minutes after adding the lemon juice.
• Salt: up to taste. But it is preferable to use sea salt.

How to make this recipe at home?

The process is simple. You need first to start heating the milk until it reaches a temperature of 80°C. Make sure the temperature does not exceed the 85°C.

Next, you need to add lemon juice. It is important here to wait for 15 to 20 minutes until the curds and whey separate. Check the notes for a trick on this.

Finally, you need to drain the whey, transfer the cheese to a container and store it in the fridge.

The draining process: 

I used to pour the curds and whey over a cheesecloth-lined strainer. However, I noticed that this is not the perfect method. On the contrary, I started using a slotted spoon to transfer the curds over the cheesecloth. Once you finish transferring the curds, try to wrap the cheesecloth and squeeze it to get rid of the remaining whey.

What can I do with ricotta cheese?

The list is long but here are some ideas for you:

• Lemon ricotta pasta
• Spinach ricotta rolls
• Zucchini lasagna
• Lemon ricotta cake
• Cannelloni
• Ravioli

You can also add ricotta cheese to pizza and get the absolute Italian taste. Do not make my authentic pizza sauce recipe for a perfect Italian meal. Feel free as well to add ricotta to your sandwiches and just enjoy the moment!

Is it ok to freeze ricotta cheese?

The answer is yes. Although it is best to eat homemade ricotta cheese within a few days, you can still freeze it. However, try to add it to a cooked dish instead of eating it raw in order not to compromise on its flavor. Dishes such as lasagna, cannelloni, pies, pizza, and cakes allow you to add frozen ricotta to their ingredients.

Do you love cheese making?  Check out how to make Feta cheese at home. Please leave a comment below if you like this article.

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