As much as I am in love with this recipe, I was not going to post it. Well, I don’t want to be thought of as a copy cat. You see, it’s been pretty popular on the web–many of my fellow food bloggers have already written their own takes on it. And for good reason. It is unbelievably delicious and… So. Damn. Easy. I did a little research and compared the different methods. I tried it one way, then another, until I hit on just the right formula. But when my husband said he loved it and asked me to make some more, I knew I couldn’t keep it to myself any longer….
Homemade Ricotta Cheese
One of the hottest new trends in the food world these days is DIY–make it at home yourself. Make your own pickles, make your own sausage, grow your own veggies, make your own cheese. I’m a real softie when it comes to cheese: I live for the white stuff. Growing up, my grandma called me her dairy girl. So, when I realized that it was not only possible to make fresh ricotta cheese at home, it was actually pretty simple, I jumped all over it. I’m sure you’re probably saying, well, that’s great, but why should I make my own ricotta when I can just buy it in any market. And the sales pitch is simply this: because you have never tasted any store-bought cheese that is as velvety and ethereal as homemade ricotta.
I researched the many (many!) different versions posted on the web and tried a few. They were all similar in theory, only varying the type of acid used to separate the curd from the whey. It was natural for me to gravitate toward the recipe that called for buttermilk (one of my favorite white things), instead of vinegar or lemon juice. Buttermilk produced a smaller curd, but the taste was creamier and more tender. This wonderful version, by Jennifer Perillo (aka Queen of Ricotta), won a contest on the Food 52 website. ‘Nuff said.
More than ever, the quality of the ingredients that go into this cheese will truly affect the flavor. It is so important to use the freshest, highest quality dairy products you can find. I didn’t test for myself, but I have read that milk or cream that’s been ultra-pasteurized will not work in this recipe. Try to use premium organic milk, heavy cream, and buttermilk.
I love this Ronnybrook Creamline milk, which is pasteurized, but not homogenized, so the cream floats to the top in its glass (!) bottle–you can usually find it at Whole Foods. Full fat milk means full fat flavor. But if you want to cut down on the calories (and the fat), you can also make this with 2% milk–there’s a slight difference in texture, but not too much.
Add milk, heavy cream, buttermilk, and sea salt to a 4 quart saucepan. Over medium heat, carefully bring mixture to a low boil.
Keep an eye on the pot: when the curds begin to separate from the whey, stir the pot once gently, turn the heat down to low, and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit undisturbed for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the curd to properly develop.
Prepare a strainer over a large bowl. I’m lucky to have a strainer with a very fine mesh that works perfectly for straining the curds in this recipe, but if your strainer is not as fine, line it with a double or triple layer of cheesecloth.
Use a large spoon to gently ladle the curds into the strainer. Be sure to carefully scoop the curds from the bottom of the pot as well.
Allow the cheese to drain for 10 minutes, or longer if you prefer a drier consistency. Gently nudge the cheesecloth or tilt the strainer to help assist the draining.
Serve the ricotta while it’s still warm. You will not believe the amazingly light and creamy texture of this cheese. It’s delicious on crostini, topped with chopped medjool dates or drizzled with truffle honey–yummmm…
…or simply sumptuous in pasta dishes, as a velvety garnish on this orrechiette with broccoli rabe and parmesan. If there’s any leftover, you can store it in your fridge for up to three days. But, who are we kidding? It’ll never last that long!
Adapted from Jennifer Perillo, Food52.com
Makes 2 cups:
4 cups organic whole or 2% milk
1 cup organic heavy cream
3/4 cup organic buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
A terrific recipe, I will certainly add this to my recipe file!
Very family friendly: a lesson in cheese making for the kids.
Thank you!
I’ve been reading about this for a little while now and I am so excited about the idea of making homemade ricotta! yes yes yessss! I just wanted to swing by and thank you for your friend request on FoodBuzz-your blog is great and I hope you’ll enjoy mine too! 🙂
Oh, I adore making my own ricotta. Seriously, the storebought stuff doesn’t hold a candle to homemade. Its never occurred to me to make it with buttermilk, duh! What a great idea!! I am going to try it this way next time. Great post!