You know that delicious soft Italian cheese that hangs out in lasagna, cannoli, and other pasta?
Yeah you know.
RICOTTA.
Mmmmmmmm.
And you know how many restaurants all over the country now serve ricotta toasts because they're trendy and delicious.
GUESS WHAT. You can make ricotta cheese in your microwave with just milk, heavy cream, salt, and lemon juice.
The kind you make yourself is actually so much better than the store-bought version.
Homemade ricotta doesn't have all the weirdo stabilizers that processed ricotta does. And you can customize the texture: Drain it longer for a thick, spreadable texture, or drain it less time for a thinner consistency. You can make it in your microwave or on your stovetop — and this post will show you both ways.
You will need these four basic ingredients:
And some kitchen tools you probably already have (except maybe the cheesecloth, which your grocery store has):
HERE'S A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE:
1. The first thing you should do it set the strainer over the pot, then line the strainer with a double-layer of cheesecloth.
Don't worry too much about getting the cheesecloth to perfectly cover the strainer. As long as it's covering most of it, you'll be fine. Start with a 4-foot piece and go from there.
2. Measure out 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice.
3. Then combine 1 cup heavy cream and 4 cups milk in the microwave-safe bowl.
4. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and the lemon juice.
Stir it all together with a spatula or whisk.
5. Microwave the mixture on high for about 10 minutes.
6. You'll know it's ready when clumps start to form (those are the curds) and when an instant-read thermometer reads 200º F.
7. The bowl will be really ~HOT~ so use a dry dishtowel or oven mitts to remove it from the microwave.
8. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the clumpy curds from the bowl into the cheesecloth-lined strainer.
9. Once you've scooped all the curds out, pour the remaining liquid into the strainer. The curds that are in the cheesecloth: That's your ricotta.
10. Let the ricotta drain for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour 30 minutes, depending on the texture you want: It will get firmer and less wet the longer it drains. Transfer your ricotta to a container and refrigerate for up to one week.
THE RECIPE: How to Make Ricotta in a Microwave
Makes about 2 cups
Recipe by Lindsay Hunt
INGREDIENTS
4 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
PREPARATION
1. Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth, then set it on top of a stock pot or a very large bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high power for 9 to 12 minutes, or until clumps form (those are the curds) and an instant-read thermometer registers 200 degrees F.
3. Stir gently and then use a slotted spoon to gently transfer the curds into the cheesecloth-lined strainer, then pour the remaining liquid (the whey) into the strainer.
4. Let the ricotta drain for at least 30 minutes and up to to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on your desired consistency. It will get firmer and less wet the longer it sits. Transfer to a container and refrigerate for up to one week. You can keep or discard the whey (the liquid leftover in the pot).
If you don't own a microwave, you can use same process to make ricotta on the stovetop.
The nice thing about making ricotta on a stovetop is that you can make a bigger batch.
If you have a candy thermometer (the kind that clips onto the side of a pot), it's useful to have here, since you can watch the temperature rise as the milk heats.
Unlike the microwave version, you heat only the milk and cream in the pot. Once they reach 200º F, you stir in the salt and lemon juice. Let it all sit for about 10 minutes while the curds separate, then spoon into the strainer and drain, the same way as above.
How to Make Ricotta on a Stovetop
Makes about 4 cups
Recipe by Lindsay Hunt
INGREDIENTS
8 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
PREPARATION
1. Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth, then set it on top of a stock pot or a very large bowl. Set aside.
2. Clip a candy thermometer, if you have one, to the side of a large pot or Dutch oven. (You can also stick an instant-read thermometer into the pot occasionally as the milk warms.) Add the milk and cream to the pot and stir to combine. Warm the mixture over medium heat until it reaches 200º F, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and salt. Let the mixture sit until the curds begin to separate from the whey, 5 minutes. (You will see small white clumps separate from a translucent liquid.) Use a slotted spoon to gently transfer the curds to the strainer, then pour the remaining whey into the strainer.
4. Let the ricotta drain for at least 30 minutes and up to to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on your desired consistency. It will get firmer and less wet the longer it sits. Transfer to a container and refrigerate for up to one week.
