by Jennifer Perillo
View
my 37 recipes »
Food52's Testing Notes:
Expand CollapseJennifer Perillo's Notes:
Expand4 cups whole milk Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup heavy cream Ask a question about this ingredient
3/4 cups buttermilk Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt Ask a question about this ingredient
Add the ingredients to a 4-quart pot. Bring to a very gentle boil over medium heat. Meanwhile, line a sieve or fine mesh strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth and place it over a deep bowl or pot.
Ask a question about this stepOnce the curds begin to separate from the whey (you'll see little specks of white bob to the surface), stir gently and set heat to the lowest setting (see NOTE). Cook for 2 more minutes, then remove pot from heat and set on an unlit back burner for at least 30 minutes, and up to one hour. (this will help the curds further develop).
Ask a question about this stepGently ladle the curds into the cheesecloth-lined strainer (this helps produce a fluffier, creamier curd, than pouring it into the strainer). When all the curds have been spooned into the bowl, pull the cheesecloth up the sides to loosely cover the ricotta in the strainer. Let sit for 10 minutes to drain (this will yield a very moist ricotta. If using for a cake recipe, you may want to let it drain longer for a drier consistency).
Ask a question about this stepStore in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Ask a question about this stepNOTE: After making one to two pots of ricotta for a year, I've learned it likes to be left alone to produce the highest yield, so resist the temptation to stir it frequently once the curds begin to separate from the whey. One stir is enough, and if you're curious, you can dip the spoon in the pot once or twice to see how the curds are developing.
Ask a question about this stepI make my own buttermilk for this great recipe. To make buttermilk take 1 cup of milk and mix in 1 TBSP white vinegar or lemon juice. Let sit for a few minutes and voila, buttermilk. Thanks for the great ricotta recipe. I use the whey to wash my face at night and love the feeling of massaging it into my face.
Making this right now for gnocchi. Very excited to see how it turns out!!
This turned out wonderfully. I've never made ricotta before, and couldn't be more pleased with the results! I've always felt pretty ambivalent about ricotta, until now. Mmmm. Served it on toasted rustic bread with roasted grapes. Mmmm.
my oh my--this stuff came out good the first time, gotmme so fired up i went ahead and made my spinach manicottis immediately!! they were a big hit and the difference was notable. definitely not the last time i do this. now i need to find ways to use the whey
Ironically, the main use for whey is actually making ricotta (it means "re-cooked" in Italian, because you re-cook the whey used from cheesemaking to get real ricotta). This is actually what you'd call a cream cheese but the leftover liquid is still nutritious and can be kept for boiling pasta in, can be used to water plants (the ones that don't mind a bit of acidity), I've heard it even works wonders as a nice skin treatment if you bathe in it - never tried it myself but someone else might know about it! :)
Holy Ricotta, Batman! I just made this and it's SUPERB! We're never buying that stuff in the tub again! WHAMO!
I'm posting here something I just posted in response to a Hotine question about what to do with the whey that's left over: I made ricotta over the weekend using this -- the best ever -- recipe, and of course saved the whey. I used some of the whey to cook potatoes in, for mashing. Really outstanding! I kept the liquid at a simmer, and had cut the potatoes into smaller than usual pieces. The whey gave the mashed potatoes a marvelous flavor. I also added a couple tablespoons of heavy cream and about a tablespoon of butter. I used 1 1/2 cups of whey per 1 large russet. And best of all, I saved the potato starch-enriched cooking liquid to use in making a loaf of white sandwich bread. Not surprisingly, it turned out spectacularly. ;o)
Just made this over the weekend for brunch - heavenly with jam and biscuits!
imadok, I'm so glad you mentioned this. I made this on Saturday and the ricotta seemed too creamy. Em-i-lis thanks for the coaching. The ricotta had a great taste, but not consistency. Thanks.
Sure, y'all! Hope you have better luck next time! Imadok, I leave the lid off too.
I just made this, and there is almost no curds and tons of whey. What can I do to fix it? When it is resting for 1 hour off the heat, should the lid be on the pan? I left the lid off, so I wonder if too much heat escaped too quickly? I am currently straining the whey out with a cheesecloth, but after an hour of straining, it is still very thin. It does taste delicious though. I want to use it for ricotta gnocchi, so I need a firm consistency. Thanks!
Hi! This has happened to me before too but having now made it at least 40 times, I can tell you that it's probably because you didn't cook it quite long enough. Before lowering the heat to low for the final 2 minutes, make sure the ricotta has pillowed up tent-like. Not huge but definitely puffy areas. In my experience that really curds the cheese; they can then settle during the cool down. And definitely save that whey!
I ended up re-heating the ricotta again, folling your directions, and it turned out much better. I even overheated it a bit at it was still wonderful. I used the whey to make a whole wheat bread that I usually use buttermilk for, and it was astronomically better with the ricotta whey. I also strained my ricotta for a long time - about 4 hours.
Living in Nigeria, fresh heavy cream and buttermilk rarely make appearances in store aisles and so I made this with whole milk, powdered milk, powdered buttermilk and lemon juice. And still it was AWESOME. I ended up making 2 other Food52 recipes - strawberries in a pink cloud and Louisa's cake which were SUPERB. Now I have found some heavy cream, even if ultra pasteurised....and I'm going to repeat the efforts tonight! Thank you Jennifer.
First ricotta cheese I've made and it's absolutely delicious either straight from the spoon, or in stuffed shells (kids favorite). So easy too.
I use nylon tricot instead of cheese cloth for straining homemade cheeses. It works wonderfully and can be washed and reused many, many times.
I love Jennie's blog and all her recipes. Jenny's jam graced the Metro Food52 party, and was the cornerstone of my holiday gift offerings. Congrats!
Just made the recipe from Russ Parson's and the LA Times. Will definitely try this one as well.
Aah, that would be Hear, Hear! Kids woke me verrrry early this morning! :)
Excellent choice for Wildcard honors. I make this all the time, as much for the whey, though, as for the cheese. It's the best ricotta recipe anywhere, ever. ;o)
I made this last weekend to use in the Ricotta and Spinach Pie. Divine!
Yay!!! Congrats on the wild card Jennie! Perhaps the most well deserved wild card of them all! This recipe is a gem!
This is great! I primarily cook Italian, so I can't wait to try this. Thank you.
I made this using just 2% and buttermilk to watch the calories and it was so yummy. Mixed with a little honey and cinnamon and warmed banana slices on a fresh hot tortilla tonight for dessert and on a toasted English muffin this morning for breakfast. So Yummy!
Wow. Incredibly delicious and simple to prepare. What could be better? Used some of it in the Ricotta and Chive Gnocchi recipe courtesy of The Internet Cooking Princess. Added a bit of lemon juice and don't know how it could taste any better.
The whey produced when making this ricotta can be used instead of water to make the best polenta . . . very mild cheese/buttermilk flavor, very light, absolutely delicious. ;o)
This is such a great tip, AJ. I always hate to toss all that whey. Am excited to try a polenta next time instead!
LOVE this. Super easy, delicious, and totally impressive to non adventurous cooking friends who think ricotta can only be got at the stores. thanks. I used 1/2 cup cream cause that's all I had, and loved it.
I have seen the same ingredients and method in recipes that called it "farmer's cheese". Isn't ricotta (which means twice boiled) actually made from the resulting whey?
A friend sent me this recipe after having creamy ricotta drizzled with honey at a restaurant. I made it the next day. I couldn't believe how good it was. I roasted cherry and grape tomatoes and served them on lightly toasted rustic bread with the ricotta - yum. The next time I made it, I added a couple of sprigs of rosemary and lemon zest. I removed the rosemary just as the curds began to form. I served it with fresh turkey figs all drizzled in local honey. Needless to say, I love this recipe and I'm having a lot of fun with it too!
Tonight I tried the "DIY Ricotta" in the current issue of Bon Appetit. I've made a similar recipe on my own, the only difference being that I add the souring agent after the milk, cream and salt have already come to a boil. Well, this silly recipe DID NOT WORK! Annoying. I remember this recipe is here and I'm headed back to the store to get ingredients tomorrow. I will try it and I know it will work. And according to these comments, I will never taste better ricotta. Very curious about the buttermilk...
My friend and I tried that one too and it didn't work! She just made this one and said it was terrific.
I made this ricotta for the first time last Saturday and was absolutely stunned by how delicious it was. I must admit I upped the amount of cream and used whole milk so it was rich and creamy. Actually the best ricotta I have ever had. I used it to make my family's manicotti recipe, which I make with crespelle (crepes), and they levitated off the plate. Thank you for this truly delicious recipe. What a keeper!
I'm using her recipe for ricotta, and putting up a recipe a week. I take it to work and share it with my office mates, spreading it on good, toasted bread. After that, they top it w/ honey and crunchy salt, and I top it w/ salt and pepper. And maybe some tomato spread. Yum, it's my fave ricotta recipe.
Wow! I live in Mexico and usually can't get ricotta--certainly not fresh!! I never thought of making it myself until I saw this recipe. I can't get buttermilk here either, so I always just use plain yogurt.It works extremely well in most recipes. I wasn't really thinking about the chemical reaction that has to take place when I made the ricotta for the first time, I just dumped my plain yogurt in instead of buttermilk. Luckily for me, it worked beautifully!
Cool idea with the yogurt - I'll have to try that. I hate buying buttermilk, since I never use all of it, but I always have yogurt around.
This is just such an incredible recipe and treat. WOW! I cannot stop making it. Yikes. :)
I"m converted. So delicious - kids said it made the best stuffed shells ever
Made this tonight and it was excellent!!! Insanely creamy and delicious. I cannot wait to make more that I can share with my friends and family!
I made this last night; followed the recipe to a T. What did I end up with? The most velvety and rich ricotta I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. Thank you. I'm certain my guests will remember this.
I've just tried to make it , it came out too sweet .. I wanted it to be a little more sour. Maybe not enough buttermilk ? What do you think?
Thank you .
Many ricotta recipes call for lemon juice. I also like it with some tang; I'm adding some lemon juice to the next recipe (about 1/2 lemon squeezed) and I'll let you know how that turns out.
I don't have access to fresh milk where I live - we only have the ultrahomogenized, irradiated stuff that comes in tetrapak boxes - would that still work with this recipe? Or do I need fresh milk? Thanks!
I've made this recipe tons of time and I always use regular organic milk from either Whole Foods or Publix. Definitely try it. It is so delicious and easy. You'll never go back to supermarket ricotta again.
I cannot quit eating this ricotta! I've eaten it for breakfast, smeared on toast and topped with roasted red peppers; I've eaten it for lunch on pasta and threw it on pizza for dinner. It's very good, and I suspect I'll be putting up a pot a week as well.
Why have I never made homemade ricotta? Perhaps because I've not had the perfect recipe....no more excuses. - S
Oh my, thank you!
This does look like something special! I will have to try this soon as we love fresh ricotta.
I've made this and it is, without question, the best of the various recipes I've tried. The heavy cream gives it the most luxurious texture. I'm a big fan of using buttermilk as the acid, too. I love the taste! I'll be making a batch this evening, in fact. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe!! ;o)
You're so very welcome!
I will most certainly try this - it must make a huge difference in recipes calling for ricotta....
I love this! I'll definitely remember you for it :)
That's my goal ;)
Dear Jennifer!
I am making Ricotta almost every week. It is low fat, and makes more than 11/2 pound delicious smooth, like Mascarpone, Ricotta.
I use the vey for soups that need something sour, or in pancakes, crepes, and other batters, or to make my own buttermilk.
For me it is the easiest method for Homemade Ricotta.
You don’t need to stir, just watch ones in a while not to miss when the water starts to simmer.
Check out my recipe I just posted: Easy Homemade Ricotta.
Kukla, if you read the recipe, you'll see this one is quite easy too. I have two kids, ages 3 and 8, and make it once or twice a week.
Love this! I have never made it with buttermilk, which I can never seem to come across in Italy, but have done a tangy version with some freshly squeezed lemon juice, which seems to work well.
Yes, lemon juice is commonly called for, and works well, if that's all you have access to. I've used it in a pinch when I'm out of buttermilk, but really do love using buttermilk as the acid. I find it makes for a more tender curd. But, as you mentioned, the lemon juice does the job too!
Thanks!
First thought: why have I not been making homemade ricotta my entire life?
That is what everyone says after they make it the first time :)
Your recipe looks lovely - I'm wondering how to adapt this to a lowered-fat version for our family? Any thoughts? I haven't made ricotta in ages and want to get back to it. Thanks -
You can certainly adapt this to be lower in fat. Just omit the cream and increase the milk to 5 cups, keeping the buttermilk at the same amount of 3/4 cup. I do this when I'm out of cream myself. It won't have the same exact silky mouth-feel, but the flavor is still far above anything store-bought.
I've also made this with 2% milk, but with the cream in those cases, so can't say how the flavor would taste with just reduced fat milk and buttermilk. Enjoy!
Thanks for your advice, Jennifer!
I make ricotta all the time...usually minus the cream. But, I like your basic recipe. I have tried Maria Sinsky's too...
What is the difference between ricotta cheese and cottage cheese?
Can lactose free milk be used instead of regular milk to make ricotta cheese?
This is such a terrific recipe. I tried a number of ricotta recipes before and this one beats them all. I keep making it because it's delicious and then partly eating it with a spoon and then having to find other recipes to use it in! But, there are worse things to have to do.