Kitchen Craft Episode 22: How to make ricotta
Will 2021 be the year that you start making your own cheese? With Chef Clem Pedro’s easy ricotta recipe, you might find it hard to resist. And he throws in some mini ricotta frittatas, to boot.
Homemade ricotta
- Makes 2 cups of ricotta cheese,
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
For the homemade ricotta:
- 4 litres of full cream fresh milk
- 1 T salt
- ½ T/cup white vinegar
Method:
- Heat the milk in a large pot over a medium heat. Bring the milk to just bubbling and steaming without the milk simmering.
- Add the salt and stir through, then add the vinegar, stirring through again. Reduce the heat slightly and leave for 1 minute as the curds begin to separate from the whey. Stir the mixture and give a final minute of cooking before straining off the whey, keeping the curds aside.
- Line a sieve with a piece of muslin cloth, or a clean piece of linen that will now become your cheese cloth.
- Add the curds to the cloth-lined sieve and gently fold up the sides. Twist the ends of the cloth together, pressing down gently on the curds to remove any excess moisture. You can place the cheese in the fridge overnight with the sieve placed over a bowl to catch any whey that will drip off the cheese. Once the cheese has cooled, it will be ready to serve.
Ricotta and roast vegetable frittatas
- Makes 12
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 250 g leftover roast vegetables
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 6 free range eggs, beaten
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
- Divide the roasted veggies in a muffin tray then crumble in the ricotta cheese. Combine the eggs and seasoning before spooning into the muffin tray.
- Place the muffin tin in an oven preheated to 200°C. Bake for 10 minutes or until the tops have slightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.
Not into DIY?