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.

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Another Satisfied Cheesemaker

sarita — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:31:13 +0000

Cheesemaking is one pastime you simply can’t experience through books. Part of why we enjoy it is because you use your hands and can observe science taking place in the cheesemaking process. In this Northwest Food News article, Guy Hand walked blindly into the world of cheesemaking and found himself a satisfying hobby.

His first efforts at making ricotta and cheddar were impressive! Here’s what he has to say about the transformational experience of cheesemaking.

“What I’ve learned on the bumpy road to cheesemaking is that a good cheese sitting quietly on its shelf is a little biological miracle, a teaming universe of microscopic processes, a dance between time and temperature, art and science. I’m not really good at it yet, but I’ve made some fresh cheeses that easily out compete the average supermarket varieties and I’m waiting for the weather to cool down so I can start aging some specimens in my newly christened cheese closet. I’ll keep you posted . . .”

Discovering My Inner Cheesemaker | Northwest Food News.

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Cheese Making Tips From A Practiced Home Cheesemaker

sarita — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:55:12 +0000

Experienced home cheesemaker Gavin shares some excellent tips for making cheese at home. He addresses lots of issues such as sanitation, what cheeses to make, and what equipment to invest in. If you’re just starting out, he suggests making a soft cheese such as ricotta. A local cheesemaking course is also valuable in helping you build enough knowledge to experiment with other cheese recipes.

Gavin clearly having a wonderful time making cheese on a weekly basis for the last eight months and we enjoyed his many insights.

“Tip #2. Have everything all prepared and layed out before you start. As I am waiting for the 15-20 minutes for the pot, stainless steel utensils and cheese cloths to sterilise, I get a clean tea towel and lay it on the kitchen bench next to the stove top, ready to place all the tools on. I select the recipe well in advance, and get out all the necessary ingredients and put them on the side ready to go. Cheese making requires un-chlorinated water for diluting some ingredients, so I have to pre-boil some rain water from my tank and let it cool to room temperature. You could use bottled water, but I do not due to environmental reasons. I pre mix the diluted calcium chloride with this water, and do the same with the rennet. Something I learnt in the Boy Scouts that I shall never forget and that is the Scouts motto, “Be Prepared”.”

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A Beginner’s Cheesemaking Perils

sarita — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:29:43 +0000

Anyone who has made their own cheese can relate to this story of the both successful and disastrous attempts at cheese making. Expense is one reason people are learning to make their own cheese, but once you’ve tried to make fresh mozzarella, you’ll realize why everyone doesn’t do it.

A cheesemaker commented:

“You make a lot of bad cheese before you make good cheese,” says Kate Dallam, owner of Broom’s Bloom Dairy in Maryland”

But author Laura Vozzella ended up with a delicious ricotta she’ll make again. A happy ending!

“My second batch was an even bigger flop. Instead of a solid, tofu-y mass, the milk formed a spongy Frisbee in a pot of whey.

Third time wasn’t quite a charm, but it was cheese. I formed the blob into a ball, let it cool, then had a taste.

It was mozzarella, all right. Chewy, supermarket-y mozzarella.

I’d make the ricotta again, and put the savings toward fresh mozzarella from the store. Whatever the store is charging, it’s a steal”

Trial and Many Errors in Home Cheese Making – San Jose Mercury News.

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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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The Cheese Course: Fantastic Book Guide To Cheeses

sarita — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:36:32 +0000

The Cheese Course
Nothing complements a good meal with friends like an exquisite selection of fine cheeses, whether it’s a grape leaf-lined platter of ricotta with honey, red pears and roasted chestnuts; a decorative Spanish tile topped with sheep’s milk cheeses; or a simple Italian salad of crostini dripping with melted fontina and white truffle oil.

The elegant tradition of the after-dinner cheese course is rapidly gaining popularity as part of home entertaining. Written by best-selling author and award-winning food writer Janet Fletcher, The Cheese Course describes the wonderful array of artisanal cheeses now available, offering suggestions for presentations as well as wine pairings and fruit and nut accompaniments.

This book is rounded out with 50 sweet and savory recipes for salads, breads and desserts that match deliciously with cheese.

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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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