How to Make Ricotta Cheese at Home

Making ricotta cheese at home is simply delicious and uses very few ingredients.  It's much easier than you might think.

I came across this recipe on pintrest.  Once I read through the ingredients and instructions I was amazed at how simple it seemed.  So I had to try it on my own.  Turns out it is simple and it worked using skim milk and kefir.  All I had to do was boil them together and spoon out the curds that floated to the top.  I was nervous because the recipe called for using whole milk and cream but I only had skim milk so that is what I used and it worked. I'm still excited about how cool and easy it was that I had to share.  I will definitely be making this again.

How to Make Ricotta Cheese at Home

Ingredients:

4 cups skim milk (or any milk)
1 cup kefir (or buttermilk) or 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar

Pour the milk and kefir into a large sauce pan and heat over medium high heat (stirring constantly).

Let heat until it starts to boil (185F if you use a thermometer) and you will see curds float to the top, around 10 minutes.

Be patient, the curds are very noticeable.  Take off the heat and, using a slotted spoon, scoop out the curds and drain in a cloth lined strainer.

Let drain for about 15 minutes or until desired consistency.  Add some salt and place in a seal-able container, refrigerate until ready to use.  Makes 3/4-1 cup.

If you need ideas on how to use your fresh ricotta try these recipes:

Simple Lasagna
Ricotta Bread
Pepper and Onion Breakfast Pizza

Enjoy.

*updated 2/10/14

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Pepper and Onion Breakfast Pizza

A crunchy and delicious breakfast pizza with roasted peppers and onions atop cream cheese on a pita with a beautiful egg center stage.

I do not like eggs.  I keep trying them in a variety of ways, but no matter what I have tried I just do not like plain eggs.  However, I have found I enjoy eggs if they are with other ingredients.  I like quiche with bacon and plenty of cheese, and I like scrambled eggs with salsa.  This Breakfast Pizza is another way I can enjoy an egg.  Here the egg lies in the center of roasted peppers and onions atop a cream cheese spread pitta and is baked until set.  I found this recipe on another blog but it was called a Galette and was atop a sour cream spread puff pastry.  I never have puff pastry on hand, I'm sure it is delicious but I'm kind of bitter that it isn't something I can make so I almost never buy it.  I had just recently made Ricotta Bread Pitas so I used that instead.  Since the bread base is thicker and hardier than puff pastry I also decided to use cream cheese and I call it a pizza because I'm not sure if I can call it a galette anymore.  No mater what I call it, it is good.

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 large red onion, sliced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
dash cumin
dash coriander
2 pitas
2 Tbsp cream cheese (or try fresh ricotta)
2 large eggs
a few snips of fresh cilantro

Toss the peppers and onions with spices and some olive oil.  Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 400F for 20 minutes until soft and caramelized.

Spread about 1 Tbsp of cream cheese on each pitta.  Then, top with roasted peppers and onions.  Make a kind of well in the center and pour in a cracked egg being careful not to break the yolk (I crack the eggs one at a time into a small bowl or ramekin, then pour it onto the pizza).  Bake pizzas at 425F for about 10-15 minutes until eggs are set.

Remove pizzas from oven and top with a sprinkle of fresh snipped cilantro or parsley.  Makes 2 individual pizzas.  Enjoy.

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Ricotta Bread (Sourdough)

A delicious sourdough made with fresh ricotta cheese.

*Submitted to YeastSpotting
Now on YeastSpotting 1.18.13 

I made some fresh ricotta cheese at home the other day.  It was my first time, and it was so easy.  Anyway, that is for another post but it gave me the idea of putting some ricotta in a bread recipe.  I used the same recipe (or formula) as Potato Garlic Bread, but replaced the potato with ricotta, and omitted the garlic while adding some honey.  The result was this beautifully browned loaf with a tight and soft crumb.  This makes it great for sandwiches.  The flavor is great,  sour with just a hint of cheese, it can be used for either sweet or savory purposes.  I'm already thinking about what else I can add when I make it again.

Ingredients:

14 oz barm
14 oz bread flour
.30 oz salt (1.5 tsp)
6.75 oz ricotta (a little over 1 cup)
1 oz honey
1 oz olive oil

The night before, prepare the barm.  I used 2 oz of my sourdough starter and built it to 14 oz by adding 6 oz flour and 6 oz water (I keep my sourdough starter at 100% hydration, that means equal parts flour and water for this recipe I used whey that was leftover from making the cheese).  Stir until all of the flour is hydrated and leave, covered, overnight.  After 10-12 hours the barm should be very bubbly.

The next day add the barm, flour, salt, ricotta, honey, and olive oil to the bowl of a stand mixer.  Using the paddle attachment (or a spoon if by hand) stir until all the flour is hydrated and ingredients form a ball, you may need to dribble in some more water to hydrate all of the flour.

Switch to the dough hook and knead for about 6-8 minutes on medium low speed (or 10-15 by hand) until dough becomes smooth and elastic.  It should be soft and tacky but not sticky (add more flour as necessary to reach this consistency).  Place dough in oiled bowl, rolling it to coat all sides with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 4 hours until doubled in size.

Once risen, cut dough in half and form two boules (round loaves).  Place on a parchment covered baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise for 2 more hours, them bake at 400F for 20 minutes, turn 180 degrees and continue baking for 15-20 minutes more until browned all over. Let cool for at least 1 hour before cutting and serving.

I did not want 2 loaves so I made 4 pitas with half of the dough.  After the first rise, instead of forming the second boule, I cut the dough into 4 pieces of about 4 oz each.  Then I rolled them out and baked them (at 500F) until they puffed.

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