I made my own ricotta! Another item added to my “I never thought I’d make my own…” list. I don’t know if Ina Garten just used a shortcut, or if this is legit. But it is legitimately delicious.
All you do is boil a little milk with cream, a dash of salt, then stir in some white wine vinegar to curdle it all. Then you strain into cheesecloth and voila! Mix with your favorite herbs and swirl into pasta or plop on a piece of toast, just as I have.
Adapted from Ina Garten.
Homemade Ricotta with Herbs
Ingredients:
- 4 c. whole milk (one medium carton)
- 2 c. heavy cream (one small carton)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 T white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons minced scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)
- 3 T chopped fresh basil
Set a large sieve over a deep bowl. Dampen 2 layers of cheesecloth with water and line the sieve with the cheesecloth.
Pour the milk and cream into a stainless-steel or enameled pot. Stir in the salt. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for 1 minute until it curdles. It will separate into thick parts (the curds) and milky parts (the whey).
Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow it to drain into the bowl at room temperature for 20 to 25 minutes, occasionally discarding the liquid that collects in the bowl. The longer you let the mixture drain, the thicker the ricotta. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining whey. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The ricotta will keep refrigerated for 4 to 5 days.
To continue with the recipe…
Mix the ricotta with your herbs; set aside.
Heat broiler and drizzle sourdough bread slides with EVOO and sprinkle with S&P. Broil on both sides until lightly browned, then rub one side with a garlic clove.
To serve, dollop 1 spoonful of ricotta cream on each piece of toast. Top with a little extra S&P, if needed.
The ricotta is so smooth and creamy – way more so than store-bought. Like a cool little cloud with flecks of herbs.
I served my herbed ricotta bruschetta as an appetizer for a dinner party and people went nuts over it. I’ve been asked to bring it to another holiday gathering this weekend.
Enjoy, friends! xoxo
Seasoned to Taste 