Ina Garten Ricotta Cheese Recipe
Making homemade ricotta cheese sounds fancy, right? But Ina Garten makes it super easy. This Ina Garten Ricotta Cheese Recipe is creamy and delicious.
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed pot
- Wooden spoon
- Fine-mesh sieve or strainer
- Cheesecloth
- Large bowl
- Thermometer
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Pour milk and cream into your pot.
- Add the kosher salt now.
- Place pot on medium heat.
- Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
- Heat until it reaches 190°F.
- This takes about 10 minutes.
- Don't let it boil over.
- Remove pot from heat immediately.
- Pour in the fresh lemon juice.
- Stir gently just once or twice.
- You'll see curds form right away.
- Let it sit for 2 minutes.
- Don't touch it during this time.
- Line your sieve with cheesecloth.
- Place it over a bowl.
- Carefully pour the mixture into the sieve.
- Let it drain for 20-25 minutes.
- For creamier ricotta, drain less time.
- For firmer texture, drain longer.
- Transfer ricotta to a container.
- It's ready to use immediately.
- Or refrigerate for later use.
- It stays fresh for five days.
Notes
- Use whole milk, not low-fat versions.
- Fresh lemon juice works better than bottled.
- Don't stir too much after adding lemon.
- Let the curds form naturally.
- Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Save the leftover whey for baking.
- Use it within a week for best flavor.
- Room temperature ricotta spreads easier.