Ricotta: two ways

Remember our list of goals to enjoy life in the here and now? And how Mr. DD held up his end of the bargain (and is already talking about his next bread challenge)? 

Clearly, it's my turn. 

Cheese making is not for the faint of heart, so I decided to start off simply.

What's the easiest type of cheese to make: Ricotta.

There are loads of recipes out there; I turned to my old stand-by, Barefoot Contessa for inspiration. 

Click the link to see the recipe in full.

I cut the recipe in half and eliminated the heavy cream.

Gather your ingredients:

3 cups whole milk

1/2 tsp salt

1.5 TBS white wine vinegar

Bring the milk and salt to a full boil.

Off the heat, add the vinegar. Let stand for 1 minute until the mixture curdles. 

Um, lovely.

Pour into a sieve lined with damp cheese cloth. 

Let drain 20-25 minutes at room temperature.

Voila!

Use immediately or cover and refrigerate.

Starter: homemade ricotta with fresh from the garden simple tomato salad and homemade baguette. 

Dessert: Grilled peaches with homemade ricotta, runny honey and cinnamon. 

Honestly, this could not have been easier.

And it was great knowing exactly what was in the food I was feeding my family!

Give it a try!

Guess I'll have to step up my game in my next cheese making challenge.

Anyone have a recommendation?

Until next time,