Ricotta cheese is really very easy to make. It’s also really expensive at the supermarket. I decided to give homemade a try, and the result was soft and creamy, a perfect filling for my manicotti dinner!
Basically, all you have to do is heat milk. I chose whole milk because that’s what I had, but you can use any – skim, heavy cream, or a combination.
Do not let the mixture boil.
When it is just before the boiling point, add a teaspoon of acid. I used lemon juice, but you can just as easily use vinegar. Watch the curds and whey separate (it’s very cool!). Let the mixture sit for a while and then drain it in a cheesecloth (or paper towel) lined sieve.
Let drain for a few hours (or less, or more) and then eat.
This is a very simple recipe that you can play around with. If you want to use it for dessert, add a vanilla bean and some sugar to the mix. I mixed mine with frozen spinach and a pinch of salt, stuffed it into manicottis, and topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.
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