Description
Creamy Italian ricotta cheese comes together effortlessly in just half an hour. Home cooks can elevate simple ingredients into a luxurious spread perfect for breads, salads, and pasta dishes you’ll savor with Mediterranean delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 8 cups (1.9 liters) whole milk
- 1 cup (237 milliliters) heavy cream
Acid Component:
- ¼ cup (59 milliliters) fresh lemon juice
Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) kosher salt
Instructions
- Combine whole milk and heavy cream in a robust, large saucepan, adding kosher salt and gently heating over medium temperature. Stir periodically until the liquid reaches approximately 200°F (93°C), which typically occurs within 10-15 minutes, just before the boiling point.
- Remove the saucepan from heat source and evenly distribute fresh lemon juice across the heated milk surface. Softly blend the liquid, observing curds spontaneously forming.
- Allow the mixture to rest undisturbed for 10 minutes, enabling complete curd development and separation from the whey.
- Layer multiple cheesecloth sheets inside a colander positioned over a spacious collecting bowl. Delicately transfer the formed curds using a slotted spoon or ladle, permitting liquid whey to drain naturally.
- Adjust draining duration based on desired ricotta consistency: shorter time yields creamier texture, while extended drainage creates firmer cheese.
- Once achieving preferred consistency, carefully transfer ricotta into a sealed container using a clean spatula or spoon.
- Refrigerate the freshly made ricotta, which maintains optimal quality for approximately 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container at 40°F (4°C) or lower.
Notes
- Homemade cheese making transforms simple pantry ingredients into creamy, luxurious ricotta with minimal effort.
- Fresh lemon juice triggers magical protein separation, creating soft, pillowy cheese curds right in your kitchen.
- Temperature control matters critically, ensuring perfect texture between barely warm milk and just-before-boiling point.
- Cheesecloth acts like a gentle filter, allowing whey to escape while capturing delicate, tender cheese solids.
- Storing freshly made ricotta in an airtight container preserves its delicate flavor and smooth consistency for quick culinary adventures.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 225 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg