The following excerpt and recipe for Ricotta Three Ways is from Edy Massih's cookbook "Keep It Zesty." It's available for purchase on Amazon.
I really fell in love with ricotta during my time in Italy—the creamy richness felt brand-new compared to grocery brands I had tried. So when I came back, I got to work making my own at home, which quickly became an Edy’s Grocer staple! (Plus, if you’re like me and never nailed breadmaking, homemade ricotta can be your party trick.) Because Italians use ricotta interchangeably as a savory and sweet ingredient, I wanted to do a version of both here. For savory, I add lemon zest, fresh thyme, and the bite of fresh black pepper. And for sweet, I rely on rosewater and honey, two simple ingredients that bring it to life.
The Mother Ricotta
- Prep Time:0
- Cook Time:3 hrs
- Total Time:3 hrs
- Servings:2
- Easy
- 1 gallon whole milk
- 1 quart heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1⁄2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1⁄2 cup apple cider vinegar
Ingredients
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Step 1
Add the milk, cream, and salt to a large saucepan over low heat. Warm, stirring occasionally, until a thermometer reads 195°F. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and vinegar. Let the mixture sit until curds form, about 15 minutes.
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Step 2
Set a colander over a large bowl and line with cheesecloth—there should be about an inch of cloth hanging over the edge. Strain the ricotta into the cheesecloth and discard the whey (the liquid) from the bowl. Gather the sides of the cheesecloth and twist into a tight ball of curds. Set the colander back over the bowl and leave the ricotta to strain in the cheesecloth for about 2 hours, until fully cooled. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Rosey Ricotta
- Prep Time:5 mins
- Cook Time:0
- Total Time:5 mins
- Servings:1
- Easy
- 1 pound Mother Ricotta or store-bought ricotta at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons rosewater
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1⁄2 tablespoon kosher salt
Ingredients
-
Step 1
Add the ricotta, rosewater, honey, olive oil, and salt to a medium bowl. Use a rubber spatula to fold it all together until incorporated. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Peppery Thyme Ricotta
- Prep Time:5 mins
- Cook Time:0
- Total Time:5 mins
- Servings:1
- Easy
- 1 pound Mother Ricotta or store-bought ricotta at room temperature
- Zest 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1⁄2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1⁄2 tablespoon kosher salt
Ingredients
-
Step 1
Add the ricotta, lemon zest, olive oil, thyme, pepper, and salt to a medium bowl. Use a rubber spatula to fold it all together until incorporated. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Edy’s Tip: Fold into or serve on top of any of your favorite pasta dishes!