That's cheesy!

Hi All,
Swim season is finally coming to an end and I had some free time to cook. What did I decide to make? Ricotta cheese. Why? Because growing up, I ate some of the best ricotta cheese known to man. It was so fresh and creamy that you didn't even have to "add" anything to it or put it in a recipe. We would just add a dollop to our pasta and marinara/gravy. My Mom made an Easter quiche with it, as well, but I prefer to enjoy it on my own. I love it wrapped in proscuitto or as topping on fresh tomato with fresh basil. Ah, simple pleasures.

Cheese-making is both an art and a science. Timing is everything, but when you get your first taste of the fresh cheese it's unlike anything else you've ever tasted from the store. Now, lucky for me, I have a guy at the local Italian deli, who makes his own, homemade ricotta so I've been using his. And that's what got me thinking about making cheese. How could his be so superior to the store bought brands. In addition, as a fellow foodie, and Italian and recent Dietetics grad, I felt compelled, nay, OBLIGATED to try and learn to make my own ricotta. Since I feel strongly about passing on my food heritage to my kids, my son, Anthony (age 13) was strong-armed, uh, I mean, recruited as my sous chef.

At first, Anthony was dismayed. We had to read directions, we had to measure, we had to read direction. Oh, and did I mention we had to read direction? Cheesemaking apparently requires a lot more attention than most teenagers are willing to pay. But as the cheese came together and he started seeing the results, he got almost excited. As if, this little science project of mine might actually work! He became a true believer upon tasting the final product. Fresh, milky sweet and creamy ricotta cheese. AMAZING! He liked it so much he was eating it as a snack afterschool. He tried eating with a spoon directly from the container, but was met with a swift smack upside the head from his Mom. (Sometimes I really wonder who raised this kid?) Anyway, below is the cheese recipe to try for yourself and some creative way to use the ricotta cheese (Anthony was a big help with this process!) It was a great learning experience, fascinating and very fun. Plus, you get to eat the yummiest science project you'll ever undertake. Learning can be delicious! Mangia!

Ricotta Cheese
First off, this is NOT lowfat. Use with restraint and in moderation. The good news, as with most homemade foods, you will not need much to get full-on flavor and texture.
That said, I recommend that if you're particular about milk, then purchase the best-tasting milk you can find. My family is picky about the taste of their milk, but some people aren't. Just like with cooking wine, make sure the milk you choose is something you'd drink. My recipe calls for whole milk because this method works best with it, as you get a creamier result. I can't stand grainy Ricotta:-)

1 gallon whole milk
4 cups (1 quart) cultured buttermilk
Salt to taste

Combine the milk and buttermilk in a large, stainless steel (or heavy-bottomed) pot and heat it slowly until it reaches 160 degrees F, stirring occasionally. I used a candy thermometer to monitor it. If using another type of thermometer, you may need to take the mixture to 180 degrees F to achieve sufficient coagulation of the proteins. It takes a while to heat up, but you slowly heat it to prevent over-cooking. Do not bring to a boil. Your patience will be rewarded.

Once the desired temp is reached, remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for 30 minutes to all the curds to form. Do NOT stir this mixture during this resting period or the ricotta will have a grainy, thin texture.

Line a colander with a double layer of cheese cloth or butter muslin. Pour or ladle the curds into the colander carefully and let drain for approximately one hour. Draining for longer than an hour will make the ricotta too dry, less creamy.

When the ricotta has drained, transfer it to a bowl, stir it up and add salt to taste. You can also add back some of the whey (the creamy yellow liquid left in the pot after the removal of the curds) to the cheese if it is too dry for your taste.

Use right away or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
This recipe makes 1 lb or 2 cups of ricotta cheese.

Uses for Ricotta Cheese besides lasagna:-)
Top Italian bread rounds: bruschetta with ricotta or roasted peppers with ricotta, fresh tomato, basil and ricotta
Fill pitted olives with ricotta
Top grilled eggplant with a dollop and fresh basil or mint
Fill celery with ricotta
Top plain or sauced whole grain pasta with ricotta. (Anthony likes pasta with Olive Oil, black pepper and ricotta- NO Tomato sauce)
Wrap proscuitto or thinly-sliced ham around ricotta
Use in place of 1/2 & 1/2 in quiche
Eat a bowl like "Little Miss Muffet":-)

Uses for the whey Use the resulting whey in the same way you'd use buttermilk. Use it in:
Pancakes, waffles, bread, rolls, ranch dressing (I used some leftover whey to make a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing. Oh, it was LOVELY! So don't be afraid to be creative.