One of my goals this year is to start experimenting with making my own cheese. I’d really LOVE to take a class sometime, and I bought a kit online for making mozzarella. The year is beginning to wind down, and I realized that I haven’t started on this goal yet.
Where does all the time go?! From what (little) research I’ve done ricotta cheese is suppose to be the easiest (and quickest) cheese to make. So, at the very least I thought I could give that I try this week.
I took the plunge, and I am happy to report that making ricotta at home is SUPER easy! It’s so encouraging to have a little success when you’re trying something new.
There are tons of resources out there to learn how to make ricotta. I followed a short tutorial from the September edition of the Food Network Magazine. I found my batch needed a bit more vinegar and time to properly curdle, so I’ve added those tweaks to the directions below.
Homemade Ricotta Cheese, makes 2 1/2 to 3 cups.
6 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
First over a large glass bowl place a fine mesh sieve covered with a few layers of cheese cloth.
In a large non reactive pot (stainless steel or ceramic works best here) combine the milk, heavy cream and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is warmed through.
Turn up the heat just a little add the lemon juice and vinegar. You don’t really need to stir much, just every minute or so to be sure the bottom of the mixture isn’t burning.
Your milk should curdle after 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into your prepared sieve.
Allow this to drain for 15-20 minutes. Once drained you can store your cheese in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to seven days.
Ricotta cheese is pretty cool, in that it can easily be used in both savory or sweet combinations. You can stir a little ricotta into your favorite pasta dish or on top of pizza.
For a breakfast/snack option try topping toast with Nutella, ricotta and strawberries OR ricotta, blueberries and honey. Yum! Enjoy. xo. Emma
P.S. Love this recipe? Try my ricotta cookies!
thanks for sharing this!! it looks so easy and so perfect for stayhome weekends. 🙂
I saw this done by one of Mario Batali’s chefs at a dinner that I worked for my job. It looked easy then, and you’ve confirmed that. I’ll have to try this out.
Amazing idea!
Lulu xx
http://luluslittlewonderland.blogspot.com
Omg, this looks so good & so easy! I’ve wanted to make both mozzarella and ricotta, but never seem to reserve the time for it. Awesome, thanks for the inspiration, hopefully I’ll try it soon!
Wow I just totally made some not too long ago on my blog! It’s a lot of fun making your own cheese! I made a savory dish with mine!
So I didn’t actually make my own, but I had ricotta in the fridge. Breakfast this morning! So tasty on toast with honey. Thanks for the inspiration– breakfast ideas are really difficult for me, and this was perfect!
yum! I made mozzarella with a cheese kit (this one: http://www.cheesemaking.com/30-Minute-Mozzarella-Ricotta-Kit.html) I got online and it was AMAZING. the only problem is finding high quality whole milk without paying a fortune! 🙂 happy cheese-making!
I like to use whole milk. It really makes much more in quantity, but tastes equally as delicious. (My mom was taught this old family recipe in a outdoor kitchen over a wood fire stove in Italy, and passed it down to me, minus the wood fire.) It is a little cheaper with whole milk. Also, for the budget conscious, cheese cloth can be bought from bolts at fabric stores! To me, this was a very exciting discovery.
I made paneer cheese one time and it was GOOD and it was really that easy. Very similar process.
Ricotta is so yummy. I like to just drizzle a little olive oil on it and some cracked pepper and flaky salt and eat it by the spoonful.
My favorite way to use ricotta is to put it on toast with honey and thyme!
Nice! I make ricotta/paneer all the time. I just use whole milk and lemon juice though – none of the other ingredients. Then I use the leftover whey as a substitute for buttermilk in pancakes, scones, you name it!
Looks yummy!
metinearbata.blogspot.com
PS – Emma, I’m really interested to hear how any other cheese-making experimenting goes. We’ve been getting into cheese-making in our home too!
I’ve made ricotta cheese at home a few times now — super easy! I don’t even use the vinegar.
Easy, and delicious. Perfect with some homemade artisan bread.
sunnylikelove.blogspot.ca
I made ricotta over on my blog the other day! I served it up with strawberries and mint, honey and balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Mm mmm!
http://alexandrahallam.wordpress.com/2013/10/21/sip-and-sup-homemade-ricotta-served-three-ways/
I don’t cook much, but I am so tempted to try this as I love ricotta and it’s so expensive! Thank you!
I’ve made mozzarella a couple of times and that was pretty easy, too!
that strawb and nutella one looks epic!
http://talisatalksbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/homedics-ultraslim-pro-at-home-slimming.html
This looks so yummy! I’ve always wanted to try making my own cheese, maybe this winter I will!
I’m not a big cheese person, but if ricotta is supposed to be the easiest cheese to make, I think I could make it for my mom because I know she’d love it! I like the storage in the mason jar. You can use them for anything!
M.