Cheese or curd ricotta (ricotta, ital.) - a traditional original Italian product, which is made from milk whey. It is not entirely correct to call ricotta cheese or cottage cheese, since it is not made from milk, but from milk whey, which remains after the preparation of Mozzarella cheese, for example, or other cheeses. That is, the basis of ricotta is not casein (as in the bulk of cheeses), but lactoalbumin (a very useful substance for the human body). It should be noted that traditional similar products from lactoalbumin are made not only in Italy, but also in some other countries. When making ricotta, milk is used from animals of different species or mixtures.
Cooking ricotta at home
So, ricotta, the simplest recipe, close to authentic, but for home use. First, heat the serum to a temperature of approximately 70-80 ° C. After heating to 86ºС, a white foam appears and the formation of flocs begins, which must be collected with a small hole. The resulting flakes are thrown on a sieve (non-metallic). You can add it while the ricotta is hot and mix it. The sieve is set for straining. Readiness is determined suitable for yourself. Ready ricotta can be stored for 40-65 days in a cool, ventilated room. With long storage, a crust is formed, sometimes moldy - it is cut.
A more home option
Many cooks make ricotta from milk and lemon. Of course, you can not call the resulting dish a ricotta in the classical Italian sense, but the taste of the resulting product is very similar to it.
Ingredients:
- juice of three lemons;
- 2 liters of whole milk (can be replaced with cream if you want to get a greasy ricotta);
- 1 teaspoon of sugar;
- a pinch of salt.
Preparation
Milk is heated on the stove to 90 ° C, but make sure that it does not boil. Add salt and sugar to hot milk. Lemon juice should be filtered and added to the milk. In a minute you should have flakes, if not, add a little more lemon juice. Cool the resulting mixture, then throw it back on gauze and squeeze it well. All! The ricotta substitute is ready. It can be eaten with spoons, spread on bread, add to salads.
Cooking with ricotta
Different dishes with ricotta are very popular with Italians. In the simplest version, ricotta is eaten by spreading on bread. This miracle product is a part of very many Italian dishes, from ravioli and salads to desserts and pies. More fatty and slightly salted is suitable for desserts and sweet pastries. More brackish and sourish is good for pies, salads and various other snacks.
From ricotta it turns out, for example, a very refined breakfast-casserole.
Ingredients:
- 0.5 kg of ricotta;
- 2 chicken yolks and 3 squirrels;
- 2 eggs;
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel;
- 100 ml of honey;
- 100 g of candied fruits;
- pinch of cinnamon - to taste.
Preparation
Ricotta, eggs, cinnamon, honey, yolks, zest, fruit mix well, bring almost to a homogeneous mass. Proteins beat up to a thick foam, mix in the bulk. Put everything in a greased form, bake in an oven heated to 150 ° C. Almost the same ingredients, with the addition of a spoonful of rum, raisins, milk and flour, you can make a very tasty pudding. It is necessary again to mix ricotta with eggs, candied fruit, cinnamon, lemon zest. At this time in boiling milk to throw semolina (approximately 3 tablespoons), a little to cook. Mix whipped whites with a mass of mango and milk, and the main mass with ricotta and other ingredients, add raisins and rum. Put in the oven preheated to 175 ° C. Ready pudding can be sprinkled with powdered sugar.