This week I stepped out of my comfort zone for Making Groceries to try something completely new: cheese-making! I never knew a home-cook could make cheese, but a few years ago I saw a recipe for making ricotta cheese in Bon Appétit. I was amazed and determined to try what looked like a very simple process. Jack was a newborn at the time, so I saved the recipe and didn’t get around to testing it until now. Turns out, it’s fantastic! I’m excited because I have a few other cheese recipes waiting, and it now seems doable to turn my kitchen into my own petite fromagerie.
8 c whole milk
1 t sea salt
3 T fresh lemon juice
1. Bring milk and salt to a simmer over a medium-high flame, stirring occasionally. This is the longest part of the recipe. Use a large pot because milk can boil over and scald in the drop of a hat. While you wait, line a colander with 4 thicknesses of cheese cloth.
2. Add juice. Curds will form immediately, stir for a minute. Use a mesh skimmer to remove the curds. Place them in the cheese-cloth-lined colander. The original recipe directs you to wait a minute, but I found that unnecessary. As soon as you skim the final curds, the majority will have already rested. Be careful not to dry it out. Ricotta is a rather wet cheese.
3. Transfer curds to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap directly on curds to prevent over-drying. Chill for three hours. This cheese won’t keep long, only 2-3 days, so be ready to use it.
What to Do with Homemade Ricotta
As long as you eat it within a few days (and why would you bother to make something fresh only to eat it when it wasn’t fresh?), you can cook with it any way you like. Here are my two favorite uses for ricotta:
1. Breakfast Ricotta
Mix some ricotta (1/3 c) with a bit of fresh lemon or orange zest and vanilla extract (1/4 t). Either cover a whole grain waffle or some granola with it. Spoon berries on top and enjoy a decadent, but healthy breakfast. When I was nursing and famished from night-time feedings, this was my favorite breakfast.
2. Pasta with Ricotta
Cook pasta al dente. Add ricotta, a splash of pasta water, roasted vegetables, herbs, parmesan cheese and lemon zest for a quick, easy and fresh dinner or lunch.
The Bottom Line
This was super easy to make. Getting the milk hot was the only time-consuming part of the process, so it would be a good idea to either clean or cook while you wait. Gosh, I’m complaining about the time a lot. It’s was only about 10-15 minutes, but I am an impatient person and don’t like to waste time.
I was shocked that half a gallon of milk only yielded a cup and a half of cheese. It seems wasteful, but that is just the process. We are normally shielded from those realities, so it really is educational. This would be an excellent activity to do with kids. Once the milk is hot, the curds form quickly so it’s fun to watch. Older children could help transfer the curds to the cheese cloth.
Although it may appear to be wasteful, homemade ricotta is about the same price as its processed counterpart. A 3-cup container of ricotta costs $4.17. A gallon of milk, plus a a lemon cost me $4.29 this week. A few cents more, so the value in making your own is not economical. Of course, choosing organic milk and shopping sales will fluctuate the price further.
As far as the environment is concerned, there was less packaging and probably less processing by having me make it at home, so Earth might be a little happier.
As for taste, I have a soft spot for ricotta and this was the best I’ve ever had. The freshness is so powerful. What a treat! I’m so used to the packaged kind that lasts for weeks, but doesn’t taste nearly as fresh. I really enjoyed eating this. Does this mean I’ll never buy the packaged version again? No. I prefer this, but for busy days, it’s nice to be able to have some on hand. If I plan a meal, I’ll make my own, but sometimes it’s nice to just have some ricotta around for unexpected recipes. Since the homemade version isn’t less expensive, nor does it keep well, I think the store bought version has a place in my cart.
But not nearly as often.
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