She justified her troubles by asserting that making cheese—any cheese—is a grueling and labor-intensive job that requires hours of stirring and watching the stove. Thanks, but I’m not interested in anything like that—especially in summer.
Then I came across a cookbook, “The Best American Recipes, 2005-2006” and on page 10, I read, “One taste of this creamy, snowy-white fresh cheese and you won’t wonder why we’ve included this recipe in a chapter of first courses. Instead, your mind will be racing with possibilities.” Okay, so how hard can it really be and could it really be that good? I had to try. The directions were simple enough and so I took a chance—voila! Wonderful, delightful homemade ricotta cheese! Here’s how to do it:
1 cup heavy cream
1 scant teaspoon coarse salt
2 Tbsp white vinegar
Rinse a saucepan with cold water (makes clean-up easier). Have ready a strainer lined with dampened cheesecloth and set in a bowl that’s deep enough so the strainer doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Pour the milk and cream into the saucepan. Add the salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. When the milk is simmering, turn off the heat and pour in the vinegar. Leave it alone for about 1 minute. Then start to stir slowly and gently. The milk will start separating into curds and whey (milky liquid); you are looking for the whey to become clear-ish, which will take about 1 minute of stirring. Once this happens, pour the mixture into the strainer. Lift the strainer out of the bowl and pour out the whey. Set the strainer back in the bowl and let the cheese drain for 15 minutes (or longer if you want a denser cheese). The ricotta is ready to serve now, but you can also refrigerate it, covered, for up to 5 days.
You can serve this cheese on a pretty platter, generously drizzled with the best extra-virgin olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, and accompanied by slices of good bread. Other options are to add dollops to a green salad or an antipasto platter; shower it with herbs or spices, or make a delightful breakfast by drizzling a little honey on it and dusting with ground cinnamon or nutmeg.
Yogurt cheese has been around for awhile, but did you know that the very popular (and very expensive) Greek yogurt is just a high-quality, thickened yogurt which you can make at home? This is a simple process, but it takes 2 to 4 hours to get the drained yogurt . Start with 1 quart yogurt (homemade is best, but if you buy it be sure it has no guar gum or gelatin in it). Line a colander with a double layer of cheesecloth, allowing plenty to drape over the sides. Set the colander in a bowl; the bottom of the colander needs to be well above the bottom of the bowl to catch the whey. Spoon the yogurt into the colander and set aside at room temperature to drain until you have 3 cups of drained yogurt, 2 to 4 hours. You can store the drained yogurt, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week. Now to make the yogurt cheese: Use 3 cups of your Greek (drained) yogurt. Add 1 ½ teaspoons salt, mix well, and drain in a coffee filter inside a colander placed in a bowl. Let drain overnight in the refrigerator or until it’s firm.
Here’s a tasty appetizer to make, using your delicious yogurt cheese.
2 cups yogurt cheese
6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 tsp. chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or mild red pepper)
1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
Lavash or other crackers for serving
Divide the cheese into 13 portions and roll each into a walnut-size ball. Set the balls so they do not touch on a plate lined with paper towels. Cover loosely with paper towels and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours, or until firm. Mix together the olive oil, garlic, dill and Aleppo pepper in a small bowl. Transfer the balls to a deep dish or a high-lipped platter in a single layer. Pour the oil mixture over the balls, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 1 week. Serve at room temperature with chives sprinkled over the top, accompanied by lavash or crackers.
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