All, Appetizers, Recipes
Fresh Ricotta with Olive Oil and Herbs
If you’ve never tried fresh ricotta, it’ll be difficult to turn back once you do.
Delicious spread on toast and drizzled with olive oil and herbs, as we’ve prepared it here, ricotta is one of the most versatile cheeses there is. You can also enjoy it with honey, mixed into pastas to lend extra creaminess, or folded into pancake batter for the fluffiest breakfast you’ve ever had, and the best part is that it’s surprisingly easy to make at home. The trick to nailing the texture is fully boiling the milk before moving on to the next part of the recipe, allowing the curds to fully separate and give away to a creamy, delicious result.
How to Make It
Ingredients
Ricotta
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 ½ cups 35% cream
- 1 ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
Assembly
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Chopped tender herbs, such as parsley, tarragon and chives
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- For the ricotta, line a large fine-mesh sieve with 3 single layers of cheesecloth. Place over a large bowl and set aside.
- Bring milk, cream, and salt to a full boil in a large pot set over high heat. Remove from heat, then stir in vinegar. Let it stand until mixture starts to curdle, about 2 minutes.
- Pour mixture through prepared sieve. Let it stand until liquid has drained and cheese has thickened, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
- To serve, discard liquid. Remove ricotta from cheesecloth and transfer to a shallow serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with herbs. Season with freshly ground pepper. Serve with toasted bread or baguette.
How to Store It
Ungarnished ricotta can keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Tell Us Your Thoughts