Homemade buffalo ricotta
Homemade buffalo ricotta
There is something strangely gratifying about "making your own", whether it's a crusty farmhouse loaf or vodka cured salmon, but one of the most satisfying things has to be homemade cheese. For ricotta the process is very straight forward: take some milk, add an acid to make the curd separate from the whey and sieve. I am lucky enough to have access to Buffalo milk, which together with a little cream, salt and lemon juice creates a beautifully soft and luxurious cheese - all for about 10 minutes of actual effort. If you can't find buffalo milk, you can use cows milk as an alternative but the result is a little less decadent.
Once you've made the ricotta, the possibilities are endless: (1) use it as the base of a pasta sauce (it will not split as the whey has already been removed). Fry some pancetta, red onion, garlic and thyme then add with the ricotta to some cooked pasta and stir in some grated parmesan. Warm through and serve. (2) beat in some chopped mint, lemon and orange zest, sweeten with a little icing sugar and serve with some fresh berries and a drizzle of honey. (3) serve on crusty bread with thinly sliced courgettes marinated in lemon juice and a little balsamic vinegar.
Ingredients
- 750ml buffalo milk
- 230ml double cream
- 0.5 tsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
1. Warm the milk, cream and salt in a pan until they reach 150C. Use a thermometer to check the temperature accurately.2. Add the lemon juice and stir through.3. Leave for 10 minutes - the lemon juice will cause the curds and whey to separate.4. Pour the mixture into a sieve lined with a few layers of cheese cloth/muslin. Leave for 90 minutes to drain.5. Transfer the contents of the sieve into a container and refrigerate. This will help the cheese to firm. The ricotta is best used within a few days.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: Serves 2