Easy And Delicious Homemade Ricotta Cheese Recipes

EASY AND DELICIOUS HOMEMADE RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Pour milk into a saucepan set over medium heat. Heat milk until it registers 194 degrees F (90 degrees C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir lemon juice and salt slowly into warmed milk. Let stand until milk curdles, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl. Pour milk mixture carefully into the lined strainer. Let stand until most of the liquid has drained off the ricotta, about 15 minutes. Discard drained liquid.

HOMEMADE RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Line a large colander with 2 layers of cheesecloth and place over a large bowl.
• In a 5 to 6 quart pot over medium heat, heat milk, cream, and salt, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching, until mixture foams and comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add lemon juice. Simmer, stirring, until mixture curdles, 2 minutes for small curds. If you'd like a larger, dryer curd, continue to simmer an additional 2 minutes.
• Pour mixture into cheesecloth lined colander and drain 10 to 15 minutes or until desired texture is achieved. Empty liquid from bowl if necessary to ensure proper draining. Reserved whey can be used in smoothies or soup. Chill ricotta until ready to use.
• Serve spread onto crostini with a drizzle of olive oil, dollop over pasta or pizza, or stir into scrambled eggs. Ricotta will keep in the fridge for 1 week.

HOMEMADE RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Line a colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth, and secure it with 3 or 4 clothespins. Set the colander inside a bowl.
• In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, with a thermometer handy, combine the whole milk and buttermilk and heat, stirring nearly constantly, until the temperature reaches 180 degrees F. When you reach 170 to 175 degrees F, you'll start to see fine, little curds separating from the whey. At 180 degrees F, turn off the heat, and skim the curds from the whey using a finely slotted spoon, dropping the curds into the cheesecloth-lined colander. (Save the whey for another use, such as breadmaking.) Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and tie it with a 2-foot length of string. Gently squeeze to remove more, but not all, liquid from the cheese, and then hang over the sink or a bowl for 20 to 30 minutes to drain it a bit more. (I use the string to tie the bag to my faucet.)
• Remove the ricotta from the cheesecloth, spoon it into a container, and stir in the salt. Serve ASAP, preferably without refrigerating.

HOMEMADE RICH FRESH RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• In a large pan, combine the milk, yoghurt and cream and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
• Boil for 2 minutes, or until the milk is very curdled.
• Line a large mesh strainer with a damp kitchen towel or several layers of damp cheesecloth, making sure the cloth extends well over the sides of the strainer.
• Place the strainer over a deep bowl and pour the milk through the strainer.
• Drain 30 minutes, making sure the strainer does not rest in the liquid.
• Gather up the loose ends of the cloth and twist gently to extract more liquid.
• Transfer the curds to a bowl and stir in the salt and nutmeg.
• Discard the liquid (whey).
• The cheese will keep, refrigerated, for 3 days.

CHEF JOHN'S HOMEMADE RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set over a deep bowl or pot.
• Combine milk, cream, and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally in a "figure eight" motion, until it reaches a temperature of 195 degrees F (90 degrees C). If you don't have a thermometer, this will be right before it starts to simmer. You'll see steam rising from the surface, and tiny bubbles forming around the edges of the pan.
• Turn off the heat, pour in the vinegar, and stir slowly in a "figure eight" motion for 3 or 4 seconds.
• Let the mixture sit, untouched, for 6 minutes.
• Carefully ladle into the cheesecloth-lined mesh strainer so that the dripping whey drains into the pot or bowl. Let the ricotta drain into the pot for between 20 and 45 minutes, depending on how soft or firm you want your cheese. The longer it drains, the firmer the texture will be once chilled.
• Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and lift the drained ricotta out of the strainer and place in a bowl. Let cool on the counter to room temperature, then wrap and chill thoroughly.
• Remove cheesecloth and serve. Ricotta usually needs an additional pinch of salt when serving.