Fresh Ricotta - There is no substitute!

Fresh Ricotta

I recently set out on a quest to source fresh ricotta cheese in Houston, I am sad to report I was unsuccessful. I wanted the type of ricotta that you can get when you walk into any Italian market in New York, New Jersey or Philadelphia. The type of market I profoundly wish would open in Houston. I found prepackaged whole milk ricotta in local stores which would have worked, but I was really seeking an exceptional quality ricotta. I have not yet been to Houston Dairymaids, where I have been told I might find fresh ricotta. Instead I decided to make a bold culinary move (bold for me) and research how to make ricotta at home. I was pleasantly surprised as to how easy the process appeared. So, I began experimenting and what you see here is the result.

The active time involved is basically the amount of time it takes to measure 4 ingredients and bring them to a boil. I highly encourage you to try your hand at creating this creamy delight. I believe you will be very glad you did and I venture to say you'll never buy ricotta at the grocery store again.  

Ingredients

• 4 cups whole milk 
• 2 cups heavy cream

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Method

Bring milk, cream, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add vinegar and stir gently until mixture starts to curdle. Let stand 4 minutes.

Pour mixture into a fine-mesh sieve lined with 2-3 layers of cheesecloth set over a medium bowl. Let stand for at least 25 minutes. The longer it strains the thicker the cheese will become, I find that 1-2 hours will yield a very firm texture. 

Cover and chill cheese in the refrigerator until ready to use.