Thursday, August 12, 2010

Adventures in Cheese Making - Ricotta

I recently undertook what I thought was going to be one of the greatest culinary adventures of my life: Making Cheese.

As it turns out, it would have been quite an adventure if we hadn't decided to make the easiest cheese possible, ricotta. Here is the ingredient list:

1 Gallon of Whole Milk
1 Quart of Buttermilk

Mix well and heat slowly (to avoid scorching) to approximately 175 degrees. I used a digital thermometer. You'll notice as it gets close to this temperature the curds start separating from the whey. That honestly was the most exciting part. Remove from heat and let sit for ~5 mins. Separate the curds from the whey using a big slotted spoon (with small holes) into a colander lined with cheese cloth. Once you've got as many of the curds out as you can, let it drain for 10 mins. You can tie up the cheese cloth into a little bundle now, but be careful not to squeeze too much or your cheese will dry out, and trust me, you want it as smooth and creamy as you can get it. Let it drain for about 45 minutes hanging in the little bundle.

Congratulations, you have just made cheese! Kind of. As far as I can tell, real cheese makers don't consider this making cheese. But, impressive none the less. One thing to note; this produces a painfully small amount of ricotta, so be prepared.

I'm working on another post about how I used the ricotta, along with another culinary first for me (sausage), to make the most amazing lasagna ever.

1 comment:

  1. Though I have never made cheese, it has always been something I've thought about doing. I think I will try making yogurt first. I'll let you know how it comes out.

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