Ricotta

Fresh ricotta beats the stuff from a plastic container any day of the week, but it can be hard to find in the store. This quick homemade version, which calls for whole milk and a little heavy cream for richness, is very similar.

Courtesy of Regan Burns Cafiso

Dairy

Italian

Appetizer

Budget

Ingredients

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

directions

Prep: 15 min Total: 30 min (Quick)

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1
Place a double layer of rinsed cheesecloth in a sieve or strainer and set over a large bowl.
2
Combine the milk, cream and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to 200 degrees F, stirring occasionally. (If you don’t have a thermometer, milk should have bubbles forming on the surface, but should not be at a simmer.)
3
Turn off the heat, add the vinegar to the pot and let it sit undisturbed for about 2 minutes.
4
Slowly and gently stir the mixture with a wooden spoon for about 1 minute, or until the curds separate from the whey. (To check, fill the spoon with some of it: If there are white curds sitting in cloudy liquid, it is ready.)
5
Strain the curds through the sieve and let drain over the bowl for about 15 to 20 minutes.
6
Serve ricotta on crusty bread with a drizzle of olive oil and cracked black pepper, or use in lasagna, other pasta dishes or cannoli.

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Ricotta

Ingredients

directions