Discover the joy of making homemade ricotta with this simple recipe. This version uses milk and cream for a rich, luxurious texture, but you can easily adapt it for a lighter outcome. With just a handful of ingredients and basic kitchen equipment, you'll yield around 500 grams of fresh ricotta that's perfect for savory or sweet dishes. Whether you prefer it soft, creamy, or firm, this recipe has you covered. Serve warm with fresh bread, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar for a mouth-watering start to any meal.
Ingredients
1.9litres(64 fl oz) cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk
100ml(3 1/2 fl oz) pouring (single/light) cream
pinchof sea salt flakes
45ml(1 1/2 fl oz) vinegar, diluted in 50 ml (1 3/4 fl oz) water
Instructions
In a stainless-steel pot, heat the milk, cream and salt, stirring, until the mixture reaches 88°C (190°F). Constantly stir to avoid catching — if the milk catches on the bottom of the pot it will burn and impart an acrid flavour in your cheese. If it starts to catch, change the pot before continuing.
While stirring vigorously, add the vinegar solution until you see flecks appear, then stir for a further 10 seconds and turn off the heat. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
Gently ladle the curds into a ricotta basket or cheesecloth-lined colander or perforated tray and strain for 15 minutes for a soft cheese, 30 minutes for a creamy but firm cheese, and 1 hour for a dry cheese. If the finished cheese is too thick you can thin it with a little of the whey or added milk.
The softer version, served warm and whipped with fresh bread, quality olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar, is a very good way to start a meal.