Recipe: Homemade Ricotta and Serving Suggestions

HOMEMADE RICOTTA

"This is so creamy and so good. Truth to tell, it's not ricotta. Real ricotta is made with whey, and the best ricotta is made with the whey from sheep's milk, the leftovers in the Pecorino process. Hence ricotta, which means twice cooked. The milk is heated for the Pecorino, and then the whey is heated for the ricotta. But are you going to be making Pecorino? I don't think so, and this is a pretty terrific way to get to the tender curds of ricotta. Fast, too. You've got options for serving this."

1 quart whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 scant teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons white vinegar

Line a strainer with a double layer of dampened cheesecloth and set it in a bowl (deep enough so the strainer doesn't sit on the bottom of the bowl). Rinse a large saucepan with cold water (for easier cleanup). Pour the milk and cream into the saucepan. Add the salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; a skin may form on the surface. Continue to cook until you see bubbles all over the surface.

When the milk is simmering, turn off the heat and pour in the vinegar. Leave it alone for about 1 minute, then stir slowly and gently. The milk will start separating into curds and whey (the liquid); you are looking for the whey to become clearish, which will take about 1 minute of gentle stirring. Pour into the strainer. Lift the strainer out of the bowl and pour out the whey, then set the strainer back in the bowl and let the cheese drain for 15 minutes.

The ricotta is ready to serve now, and it will be soft and moist. Gather up the corners of the cheesecloth and lift. Set the cheese in your other palm and unfold the cloth. Invert a bowl or plate over the cheese in your hand, flip it over, and lift off the cheesecloth. You can also refrigerate it, covered, for later; it will be denser, more like cottage cheese.

SERVING HOMEMADE RICOTTA

At the cocktail hour, pile the ricotta in a bowl, drizzle it with extra-virgin olive oil-enough so you have a ring of oil around the cheese-and sprinkle it with coarse sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper. Or grains of paradise (crunchy seeds from West Africa, with a floral scent and the heat of black pepper). Set it out with slices of semolina bread.

This could also be lunch. You've made a big green salad or you have a platter of Roast Peppers with Capers and Anchovies. You have a great loaf of bread. You've got the ricotta in a bowl with the oil and salt and cracked pepper. You slather pieces of bread with the cheese and eat it with the salad.

Use this to make Ziti with Ricotta, making sure to add the goat cheese, since this ricotta is very sweet. It's enough for 1 pound of pasta. Or use it in a lasagna.

Ricotta can also be dessert or a sweet breakfast. Sprinkle it with a tiny bit of sugar and some cinnamon or drizzle it with tupelo honey and eat it with a spoon.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Source: Tasty: Get Great Food on the Table Every Day by Roy Finamore
Copyright 2006 by Roy Finamore. Reprinted by permission of Houghton
Mifflin Company.