A Simple Summer Appetizer (Recipe: Creamy Homemade Ricotta)

Yesterday’s post was epic and last week was busy with a daily canning post. Today, not surprisingly, I don’t have many words. We took time out this weekend to relax, and my Aunt Jenny’s lakeside home was the perfect place.

A terrific cook, my aunt nourished us with roast lamb and other delights; it was wonderful to be cooked for. In-between meals, I sought solace at the end of the dock to process the past month and ponder what lies ahead. Life continues to be unpredictable, wonderful, tragic and mysterious.

I brought a jar of homemade ricotta out to my aunt’s and served it up for breakfast, spooned into bowls and topped with roasted strawberries. I’ve been making ricotta, well, since I was about as high as a bar stool, when I would help my mother make cheese from our goat’s milk. There’s nothing like fresh ricotta.

As I made a batch on Friday, I wondered if I should give up blogging and start giving cooking classes instead (I’m not going to!), because nothing makes me happier than demonstrating to others how simple scratch cooking, such as ricotta, just is.

Perhaps you’ve only seen ricotta in a plastic tub at the supermarket and didn’t even know it could be easily reproduced at home. Well it can, and today, I’ll show you just how.

How to serve fresh ricotta? Well, when we’re not layering it in lasagna, spreading it on crusty bread, or enjoying it with strawberries for breakfast, I like to make a simple summer snack.

Easy entertaining in summer for me means setting out a few fresh ingredients and letting my guests assemble their own food. It may be a sandwich bar, a DIY ice cream sundae, or a simple one bite appetizer like the ones I’m sharing today.

Here I’ve paired a jar of soft, creamy ricotta with crackers and mini toasts, sliced radishes and a jar of slow-roasted tomatoes.

Skip the hummus and pita chips and bring this snack to your next potluck or picnic.

Creamy Homemade Ricotta

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Course: Breakfast & Brunch, Condiments, Side Dishes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 3 1/2 cup servings
Calories: 509kcal
Author: Aimee

Ingredients

  • 4 cups organic whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Prepare a fine sieve over a large bowl. Line the sieve with several layers of cheesecloth or a clean tea towel.
  • Measure all ingredients into a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. If you have a thermometer, attach it to the side of the pot.
  • As the mixture heats, it will become grainy, and then, between 175°F and 200°F the liquid will separate and small curds will begin to form. Remove the pot from the heat.
  • Gently ladle the curds into the cheesecloth. Once most of the curds are in the cloth, tip the pot and pour the whey into the cloth.
  • Allow the ricotta to drain for a few minutes, longer if you want a firmer cheese. Enjoy the ricotta warm or transfer to a jar, cover and refrigerate for up to four days.

Nutrition

Calories: 509kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 621mg | Potassium: 570mg | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1790IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 488mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Wait! Don’t toss that whey!

I couldn’t bear to dump the whey from my ricotta down the drain and thought it might make the perfect base for crepes. A little experimenting and recipe testing later (the very best kind) I had a recipe for Whey Crepes, served with fresh ricotta and rhubarb compote, of course.

We’ve been enjoying these frequently for Saturday morning breakfasts.

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35 Comments

  1. Who knew homemade ricotta could be prepared so easily? I can’t wait to give this a try. My kids have only recently discovered that they actually like ricotta so this will be a fun activity we can do together in the kitchen.

  2. Thank you for this recipe! I have started making mozzarella and using the whey to make ricotta afterwards, I didn’t realize there was another option! Thank you!

  3. Yum yum yum. I want to have this for lunch and then make a cheesecake with the rest.

  4. I’m a big fan of homemade ricotta. And just think Aimee, you do teach a many a viewer here on SB! 🙂

  5. What an awesome idea! So many things in the kitchen are so much easier than we would think they would be!

  6. How wonderful! I never realized just how easy it is to make from scratch. I love the idea of using it for snacks, too!

  7. I can’t wait to try this! I just read something about making fresh mozarella in Masterchef magazine last night, and now stumble onto your post about making ricotta…. there’s got to be a sign! I’m making cheese over the weekend!

    Thanks,
    stef

  8. Not sure if you know this but you can actually use the whey to make more ricotta cheese. Which is how traditional ricotta cheese is made. From the whey left over from other cheese making processes.

  9. Hi,
    This recipe sounds really easy and seems like the ricotta would be delicious. Even-star mentioned above that the wey from other cheese-making products can be used in this recipe. Would it be a 1 for 1 substitution with buttermilk?
    Can’t wait to try it out.

  10. I have never once thought of making my own ricotta! Thanks so much for the light bulb moment. I’m already in love with the slow-roasted tomato recipe, so it’s a no brainer! I love your blog and have followed it for quite a while now. I’ve added you to my blogroll on my new blog officially launching at the beginning of September. Keep up the good work!