Ricotta
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Serves: 500 to 600g
 

Peter likes to serve his ricotta topped with either honey, olive oil, or balsamic ... heaven!

Ingredients
GINA’S INGREDIENTS - THERMOMIX PROCESS
  • 1600g whole milk
  • 400g full fat cream
  • 100g full fat plain yoghurt
  • 2 tsp sea salt flakes
  • 100g white vinegar
PETER’S INGREDIENTS - TRADITIONAL PROCESS (This is an exact excerpt of Peter’s notes so that I don’t make any mistakes in translating the information - makes about 1 generous cup)
  • ‪3 cups whole milk‬
  • ‪1 cup heavy cream ‬
  • ‪1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt‬
  • ‪3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice‬
Instructions
GINA'S METHOD - THERMOMIX PROCESS
  1. Line your Veroma base with a cheese cloth or something similar, ensuring that you have an overhang
  2. Place it over a deep bowl so that the Veroma base is not sitting directly in it (you want space for the whey to drain off into the bowl without reaching the Veroma base)
  3. Get your white vinegar ready by placing a small jug onto the ™ lid and weighing in 100g … put aside until you are ready to use it
  4. Place milk, cream, yoghurt and salt into TM bowl and cook 18 minutes / 100 / speed 2 / no MC
  5. When the time has elapsed, pick up your jug of vinegar
  6. Turn Thermomix to speed 4 / no heat
  7. Through the hole in the lid add the vinegar and IMMEDIATELY turn the machine off
  8. Allow mix to rest in the TM bowl for 30 minutes to separate into curds and whey (you can do this for just 15 minutes, but I like to give it plenty of time)
  9. Use a large spoon to remove some of the ricotta from the TM bowl into the lined Veroma tray, then carefully pour the rest of the TM contents into the Veroma tray (I find it is easier to do this instead of trying to pour the whole contents of the TM bowl into the strainer all at once)
  10. Allow to drain for 5 to 30 minutes depending on how dry you like your ricotta … the dyer it is, the less weight you will have
  11. Transfer ricotta to an airtight container and store in the fridge
  12. Save the whey to use as described in the notes
PETER'S METHOD - TRADITIONAL PROCESS
  1. ‪Pour the milk, cream and salt into a large nonreactive saucepan
  2. Attach a candy or deep-fry thermometer
  3. Heat the milk to 190°F (approximately 90°C) stirring it occasionally to keep it from scorching on the bottom (basically bring it to the just starting to bubble stage)
  4. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice, then stir it once or twice, gently and slowly
  5. Let the pot sit undisturbed for 5 minutes
  6. ‪Line a colander with a few layers of cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl (to catch the whey)
  7. Pour the curds and whey into the colander and let the curds strain for at least an hour
  8. I usually hang it from a kitchen drawer with the pan underneath
  9. At an hour, you’ll have a tender, spreadable ricotta
  10. The longer you leave it, the firmer it will get
  11. Eat the ricotta right away or transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use‬
Recipe by The Passionate Pantry at https://www.thepassionatepantry.com.au/ricotta/