This is the ricotta cheese I teased in the recently posted Pancake Lasagna for One recipe. You don't need homemade cheese to make a decent lasagna, but if you do make your own, there's a pretty good chance your days of using the store-bought stuff will be over.
Youcan even produce ricotta with a variety of textures. With a shorter draining period, you'll get a wetter, creamier ricotta, which would be perfect for using as a spread. A longer draining time will give you a drier, firmer cheese, perfect for stuffing ravioli or layering into a lasagna.
Obviously, your homemade ricotta is only going to be as good as the milk and cream you make it with. Hopefully you have access to a high-quality product, preferably from grass-fed cows. No matter what brand you end up buying, be sure it's "pasteurized" and not "ultra-pasteurized." Since that's heated to a higher temperature, it will affect the curdling process. Good luck in your search. I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
![Chef John's Homemade Ricotta Cheese](https://www.allrecipes.com/thmb/AP832Mty6ilpVOLYNSIIZz3EMVg=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/IMG_6092_chef-johns-homemade-ricotta-cheese_chef-john-3f1474351cb04c7ea196603794147eab.jpg)
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Ingredients
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4 cups whole milk
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½ cup heavy cream
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1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
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2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
Directions
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Line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set over a deep bowl or pot.
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Combine milk, cream, and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally in a "figure eight" motion, until it reaches a temperature of 195 degrees F (90 degrees C). If you don't have a thermometer, this will be right before it starts to simmer. You'll see steam rising from the surface, and tiny bubbles forming around the edges of the pan.
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Turn off the heat, pour in the vinegar, and stir slowly in a "figure eight" motion for 3 or 4 seconds.
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Let the mixture sit, untouched, for 6 minutes.
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Carefully ladle into the cheesecloth-lined mesh strainer so that the dripping whey drains into the pot or bowl. Let the ricotta drain into the pot for between 20 and 45 minutes, depending on how soft or firm you want your cheese. The longer it drains, the firmer the texture will be once chilled.
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Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and lift the drained ricotta out of the strainer and place in a bowl. Let cool on the counter to room temperature, then wrap and chill thoroughly.
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Remove cheesecloth and serve. Ricotta usually needs an additional pinch of salt when serving.
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Chef's Notes
If you have a really fine mesh strainer, you may not need the cheesecloth, but if you don't use it, you won't get the cheesecloth texture on your cheese.
Do not use "ultra-pasteurized" milk. You can use 3/4 teaspoon fine salt instead of kosher.
This homemade ricotta cheese works great in my Pancake Lasagna for One (or More) recipe.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
166 | Calories |
13g | Fat |
8g | Carbs |
6g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings Per Recipe 6 | |
Calories 166 | |
% Daily Value * | |
Total Fat 13g | 16% |
Saturated Fat 8g | 38% |
Cholesterol 43mg | 14% |
Sodium 473mg | 21% |
Total Carbohydrate 8g | 3% |
Total Sugars 7g | |
Protein 6g | 11% |
Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
Calcium 197mg | 15% |
Iron 0mg | 1% |
Potassium 248mg | 5% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.