I use ricotta here and there, mostly to make my white pizza or bread pudding. I usually default to buying a tub at the grocery store and calling it a day. Ricotta at the store can be pricey and usually has a bit of a grainy texture. I’ve been hearing that it’s super easy to make yourself, so I decided to try it this past weekend. And it turns out that it’s a cinch to make and tastes much better than any ricotta found in an expensive plastic tub.
Since nectarines are bountiful at the market, and Aran inspired me with her tartines, I decided to add a dollop of ricotta to fresh cranberry flax seed bread, top it with some fresh nectarines and a slice of prosciutto. I drizzled some with honey and others with balsamic vinegar. It’s the perfect late summer lunch!
Ingredients
- 1 liter of whole milk (about a quart)
- 1/4 cup of cream
- 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Add milk and cream to a medium pan and bring to a simmer. This will take about five minutes and you'll notice bubbles around the edges and bubbles almost forming in the middle. Turn off heat.
- Add lemon juice and vinegar and stir gently. Let sit about 5 minutes.
- In the meantime set a large bowl on your counter, top with a fine mesh sieve and cover with cheese cloth, muslin or a clean thin kitchen towel.
- Gently pour milk mixture into sieve and let the whey drain. You can gently stir the cheese to drain the liquid faster. Let sit between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on how thick you want your cheese. The longer you wait, the thicker it gets.
- Scoop into bowl, season with salt and pepper, stir and let cool in fridge. Top pizza, bread or crackers and enjoy.
* ricotta recipe inspired by Victoria, Aimée and Martha Stewart
