Learn To Make Cheese » Ricotta Cheese Recipes

Experiences Making Feta, Ricotta and Haloumi Cheeses At Home

sarita — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:04:50 +0000

Life is Better Barefoot grabbed cheesemaking by the horns after taking part in a cheesemaking workshop. Since then, she’s had some great experiences making feta (start early!, a simply divine ricotta and a minted haloumi. Here she is on ricotta cheese making:

“Whole milk ricotta is divine and oh so easy. All you need is a thermometer and some white vinegar or lemon juice. Unfortunately, the yield is not so great, so I don’t tend to bother making it. Whey based ricotta though is perfect. Creating something out of the feta leftovers is a fantastic bonus. I can’t believe that they didn’t teach us this one during the workshop! OK, so the taste is not so rich and creamy as the whole milk ricotta. Served fresh though, with cinnamon sugar, or honey and nuts, especially while still warm – yummo, what a treat!”

Let’s wish her luck in her upcoming mozzarella making efforts!

Check out the photo evidence and more details after the jump.

Life is better barefoot: Making Cheese.

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Homemade Cheese Recipe Jackpot

sarita — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:50:03 +0000

Gourmet Sleuth has dozens of recipes for every kind of cheese. they’re a good first stop when wanting to make a new cheese. You can try your hand at blue cheeses, cheddars, chevres, ricotta, yogurt cheeses and more. Even better, you’ll find that within a section like ricotta, they have six different ricotta recipes so you can compare them and see what works for you. They also have great cheesemaking videos.

Here’s a sample recipe they provide for Michael Chiarello’s version of ricotta.

Napa Style Ricotta Cheese
This recipe is Chef Michael Chiarello. Visit the Napa Style website.

I N G R E D I E N T S
(Makes about 4 cups)

1 gallon whole milk
1 quart buttermilk
Instant-read or candy thermometer
Cheesecloth or clean muslin, rinsed

I N S T R U C T I O N S
Select a sieve or colander with a wide surface area so the curds will cool quickly. Rinse a large piece of cheesecloth or muslin with cold water, then fold it so that it is 6 or more layers, and arrange it in the sieve or colander placed in the sink.
Pour the milk and buttermilk into a large nonreactive saucepan. Place over high heat and heat, stirring the mixture frequently with a rubber spatula and making sure to cover the whole pan bottom to prevent scorching. Once the mixture is warm, stop stirring. As the milk heats, curds will begin to rise and clump on the surface. As the curds begin to form, gently scrape the bottom of the pan with the spatula to release any stuck curds.

When the mixture reaches 175° to 180ºF, the curds and whey will separate. The whey looks like cloudy water underneath a mass of thick white curds on the surface. Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Working from the side of the pot, gently ladle the whey into the prepared sieve. Go slowly so as not to break up the curds. Finally, ladle the curds into the sieve. Lift the sides of the cloth to help the liquid drain. Resist the temptation to press on the curds. When the draining slows, gather the edges of the cloth, tie them into a bag, and hang the bag from the faucet. Continue to drain until the dripping stops, about 15 minutes.

Untie the bag and pack the ricotta into airtight containers. Refrigerate and use within 1 week.

Michael’s Notes: I often make ricotta in winter and use it to fill ravioli for the freezer. Typically, I’ll boil the ravioli straight from the freezer, then simmer them briefly in chicken stock with some chard from the garden.

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Cheesemaking For Kids: Making Cheese In the Classroom

sarita — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:19:55 +0000

Hubbard Scientific R-el1 Cheesemaking Kit 60 Students

This popular kit introduces students to the scientific principles of cheesemaking. Students can actually eat the cheese they make from whole or powdered milk which they supply. Kit contains enough rennilase enzyme for 60 students to make their own cheese plus two packages of cheesecloth.

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Easy Homemade Ricotta Cheese Recipe With Two Ingredients

sarita — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 18:36:01 +0000

Ok, it may be three ingredients, and you do need to purchase cheesecloth, But we found this very straightforward homemade ricotta recipe on the Washington Post’s website and had to share. You’ll essentially make your own whey, using a combination of buttermilk and whole milk. The whole milk portion can be all cow or cow and goat’s milk if you like. (Though Italian tradition dictates that sheep milk is best). The freshness of the milk is absolutely essential and it’s worth searching for the freshest milk available as it greatly impacts the taste of the final product. Keep in mind that ricotta is a “fresh” cheese and it should be consumed or used within a day or so of making. Depending on the consistency you want, you may drain the cheese for longer for a drier texture, or shorter for a runnier texture. We enjoy it simply on grilled, crusty bread with some freshly ground black pepper and fresh cherry tomatoes.

From the Washington Post, 7/21/2009

Homemade Ricotta

You won’t need rennet, but you will need 2 square yards of cheesecloth to make this fresh ricotta.

MAKE AHEAD: The ricotta can be refrigerated for up to 1 week, but is best eaten within a day or two of when it was made.

Makes about 2 pounds*

Ingredients

1 gallon whole milk
1 quart cultured low-fat buttermilk (may substitute 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar or 1/3 cup strained, freshly squeezed lemon juice)

Directions

Combine the milk and buttermilk in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (such as an enamel-coated cast-iron pot) and set it over medium-high heat.

While the milk and buttermilk are heating, rinse the cheesecloth under cold water and squeeze out any excess water. Fold the cheesecloth to create at least 4 layers, then drape it over a large fine-mesh strainer or colander (so there is some excess cheesecloth hanging over the rim). Place the strainer or colander in the sink.

Stir the milk occasionally as it heats up, taking care to scrape the bottom with the spatula every so often. After about 20 minutes, you will see the first curds appear on the surface. At this point you should stop stirring, but continue to occasionally run the spatula along the bottom of the pot to release any curds that may be stuck there.

As more curds form, they will collect into a thick, soft mass and float to the surface, leaving a cloudy liquid (the whey) beneath them. As soon as this separation occurs, transfer the pot to a spot next to the sink. Begin ladling the ricotta into the cheesecloth-lined strainer or colander. The best way to do this is to use the ladle to gently push aside the curds, then ladle the whey into the strainer or colander. (If you ladle in the curds first, it will take longer for the ricotta to drain and the whey will press down the curds as it is poured over them).

Once you have ladled in most of the whey, use the ladle to gently scoop the curds into the colander. Fold any overhanging cheesecloth over the top of the curds (without pressing) and let it drain for 5 to 15 minutes (or longer), depending on how firm you want your ricotta to be. Discard any leftover whey. If you’re not using the drained ricotta immediately, spoon it into a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate. The ricotta will keep for up to a week, but is best when eaten within a day or two.

* If you do not use buttermilk, the total yield of fresh ricotta may be somewhat less.

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Homemade Ricotta Cheese Recipe

sarita — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:27:48 +0000

This ricotta recipe courtesy of the Boston Globe is outstanding. Check with any cheese making supply store for vegetable rennet, draining baskets and a thermometer.

1     gallon whole milk
3/4     cup heavy cream
2     teaspoons kosher salt
1     teaspoon liquid vegetable rennet
1/4     cup cold water

1. In a large heavy soup pot, combine the milk and cream. Gradually bring to a boil. As soon as the milk begins to foam up and climb toward the top of the pan, turn off the heat. The temperature of the milk mixture should be about 200 degrees.

2. With a large spoon, skim the foam from the milk. Pour the milk into a clean saucepan, leaving behind any scorched milk adhering to the bottom. Add the salt and stir until dissolved.

3. Let the mixture cool to about 100 degrees, skimming off any new foam skin that forms on top of the milk.

4. In a bowl, combine the rennet and water. Stir it into the milk mixture until well distributed. Let stand, undisturbed, for 10 minutes until you can see that the milk has thickened.

5. With a wooden spoon, cut a crisscross pattern through the center of the pot. Stir quickly with the wooden spoon for about 15 to 20 seconds to break up the coagulated milk. Then, using a perforated stainless skimmer, slowly and gently circle the pot in one direction (it should take about 20 seconds to make a full turn around the pot) and watch as the milk begins to separate into curds and whey. Continue the slow, gentle stirring motion with the skimmer, moving the curds toward the center of the pot until they have gathered into a large mound in the center with the whey surrounding them. (Some curds will remain with the whey.) This can take up to 5 minutes.

6. Line a colander with cheesecloth. Gently and slowly pour the whey into the colander. Use the skimmer to return any curds in the cheesecloth to the pan. Using the skimmer, gather the curds, disturbing them as little as possible, and gently spoon them into the baskets, mounding as high as needed.

7. Set the baskets to drain in plastic containers or bowls and let stand at room temperature until the whey no longer drips from the cheese baskets, emptying the liquid several times during the process. This should take about 2 hours. Expect quite a bit of whey to drain from the curds. The ricotta can be eaten at this point or refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.

Adapted from Rosetta Constantino

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