It’s Tasty Tuesday AND National Cheese Day, OH MY. With our first Taste of Italy Pop-Up Dinner at The Mansion this Friday, June 7th, it’s only right to keep the Italian theme going, right?!
Who doesn’t like ricotta?! Its creamy texture lends itself perfectly to our favorite Italian dish like lasagna or sweet foods like cannoli or berries. You’re not going to believe how easy and foolproof Chef Rick’s recipe is… only 4 ingredients! And trust us — once you make your own ricotta, it’s hard to go back to the stuff from the grocery store.
Let’s get cooking!
Ingredients:
4 Cups Whole Milk
2 Cups Heavy Cream
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
3 Tablespoons Good White Wine Vinegar
Directions:
Set a fine-mesh sieve over a deep bowl. Use 2 pieces of cheesecloth and line the sieve with a double layer of the cheesecloth.
Pour the milk and cream into a medium stainless-steel or enameled pot, such as Le Creuset, and stir in the salt. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and pour in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for one minute, until it curdles. It will separate into thick parts (the curds) and milky parts (the whey).
Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow it to drain into the bowl at room temperature for 20 minutes (for soft ricotta) to 25 minutes (for firmer ricotta), occasionally discarding the liquid that collects in the bowl. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining liquid. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
The ricotta will keep, refrigerated, for 4 to 5 days.