Cascading Kitchen Notes
Lovely in Lasagna or toss some directly into a bowl of pasta with other goodies. Try it in our Green Lasagna.
Try the Caramelized Fennel with Pasta and Ricotta.
Spread some on toast in the morning in place of butter or cream cheese. Sprinkle on some herbs to spice up your day!
Fold into sauteed vegetables.
If the curds don’t completely drop out the first time, pour the whey (less the already strained curds) back in the pot and reheat to 206° again and strain.
Recently, I had to go through this step 3 times before the curds (the white stuff) had completely dropped out.
The remaining liquid should have a yellow cast to it.
Freeze it into cubes and use those frozen cubes to jump start ferments throughout the year.
Some folks like to put it in bread. It’s loaded with nutrition.
Remember Little Miss Muffet who sat on a tuffet eating of curds and whey? If Miss Muffet gets her whey, we must surely follow. Save the Whey!
Fresh Ricotta Cheese
Ingredients:
- 1 gallon whole milk
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- 3 Tbs. butter
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
Things You’ll Need:
- Cheesecloth
- Kitchen thermometer
Instructions:
- Always use containers and cookware that have been boiled clean and sterilized when making cheese.
- Warm milk to 206°. Stir in the vinegar. The milk will begin to coagulate. (It will look lumpy) Keep it on the heat at 206° for another 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the milk (which is now called curd) rest for 15 minutes so all of the curds can drop out of the whey. The whey is the left over liquid.
- Gently pour the curd and whey into a cheesecloth-lined colander with a bowl beneath. Let the whey drip from the curd. You may have to fold the cheesecloth one or two times to prevent the curd from falling through the holes in the colander. After the whey has drained, place the curds in a clean bowl.
- Stir the butter and baking soda into the curd. Mix thoroughly.
- Place cheese in another clean container. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Warnings!
- This process won’t work if the milk has been ultra-pasteurized. Look for a label that says "pasteurized" or raw.
- Use whole milk.
- Use a stainless steel pot to heat the milk and drop out the curds.
- Don’t overheat the milk in step 2. Keep a close watch on the kitchen thermometer!
This may well become a staple in your household.