There is so much to love about ricotta. First up, its clean, fresh cloud-like milkiness – many of us think of it as a spring-time thing, but in fact, it works brilliantly as a much needed partner for the roots and roasts and punchier flavours we’ll be eating for the next few months. Next, its versatility – in baking and desserts; to fill ravioli or spoon over warm vegetables. Best of all, though, is that it’s made from something that would otherwise be wasted. The ricotta that you buy in the shops is a byproduct of the cheesemaking process. Whey that has been drained off the cheese curds is reheated to make ricotta – hence its Italian name, which means “recooked”.
My recipe involves gently heating whole milk, then adding vinegar to encourage little curds to form, which are then gathered and strained to form the softest and most gentle of the cheeses. I’ve tried lemon juice, but vinegar somehow produces more ricotta. The quantity of vinegar is key, too little and the curds won’t form properly; too much and the end result will taste like a chip shop. Because this recipe is so simple there is nowhere to hide, so use the best milk that you can afford (the best ricotta I’ve tasted was made in Italy using raw, unpasteurised milk, but that’s not as widely available in the UK).
Some recipes need a certain type of ricotta. The type you can buy in most supermarkets can be very soft, more mascarpone-like in texture than the firmer, strained ricotta I got used to working with when I cooked in Italy. That’s why I started making my own and I’d urge you to try too – it’s not as difficult as you might think. If that’s a step too far though, you can make the recipes below with supermarket ricotta. If you do, then leave it in a sieve to drain excess liquid for a few hours, or ideally overnight, so it’s a little firmer. If you’re lucky enough to live near an Italian deli, most sell a good strained ricotta.
As well as a recipe for homemade ricotta, I have included three of my favourite simple ways to eat it. Aside from these almost any pasta would benefit from a little ricotta stirred through it, any pancake or waffle will sit happily next to a spoonful, and most fruits will team up well with a clean white helping drizzled with a little honey.
Homemade ricotta
How long you hang your ricotta for will depend on how you want to use it. To bake your ricotta whole or to use it to fill pasta you want something firm, so no moisture seeps out during cooking. For other recipes, such as the pasta or the whipped ricotta below, you could get away with a less firm texture, so hanging it for just a few hours would suffice.
Makes about 300g
2 litres whole milk
A pinch of sea salt
40ml distilled white vinegar
1 Pour the milk into a large pan, add a pinch of sea salt and put over a medium heat. Allow the milk to heat up slowly, stirring from time to time.
2 When it is almost coming to the boil – when steam and small bubbles begin to appear on the surface (if you have a kitchen thermometer it should be 82C-85C) – remove from the heat, add the vinegar and stir gently. You will see curds starting to form. Continue to stir for 1 minute or so.
3 Cover with a clean cloth and allow it to sit for a couple of hours. Once the ricotta has rested, line a colander with a large piece of damp muslin and put this over a larger bowl or pan.
4 Spoon the ricotta into the colander and allow it to drain for an hour or so, or overnight depending on your desired firmness (see note above). To test whether the cheese is ready, gently lift the muslin up by the corners and twist lightly – the liquid should be slightly milky in colour. The ricotta is now ready. Transfer to a container, seal and store in the fridge and use within 3 days.
Whipped herb and lemon ricotta
Quick and super-light, this blend of herbs and ricotta is ideal for dipping. I use baby vegetables, but fingers of good toast or crackers would work too.
Serves 4
450g fresh ricotta
Salt and black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed or grated
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp mint leaves, finely chopped
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus a good squeeze of lemon juice
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
To serve
Baby carrots, beetroots and radishes, cut into sticks
1 Put your ricotta into a bowl with a good pinch of salt and pepper, then beat it with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. You can do this with an electric mixer if you want it really cloud-like.
2 Now stir in the garlic, herbs, zest and olive oil. Taste for balance and adjust the seasoning, if necessary, adding a squeeze of lemon juice and a little more of whatever you think it needs.
3 Serve in the middle of the table with your choice of veg or toast for dipping.
4 Drizzle with some olive oil and serve.
Honey ricotta with baked figs
This is a faintly sweet take on ricotta that could be served as a dessert or a quick lunch, piled on top of toasted bread with some bitter leaves to counter the very slight sweetness.
Serves 4-6
250g ricotta
1 tbsp of runny honey
Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
1 orange, zested, juice reserved
6 figs
50g almonds
1 Preheat your oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Line a baking tray with a sheet of greaseproof paper.
2 Turn the ricotta out of its packet on to the lined tray, then drizzle it with honey. Grate over the orange zest and scatter the vanilla seeds on top.
3 Halve the figs and arrange them around the ricotta. Squeeze over the juice of ½ the orange and a little more honey then put into the oven to bake for 20 minutes.
4 Meanwhile, roughly chop the almonds. Scatter them over the baking tray and roast for the last 5 minutes.
5 Serve straight from the oven in the middle of the table.
Spaghetti with chard, garlic, chilli and ricotta
One of the fastest pastas I know (the sauce is cooked in the time it takes for the pasta to turn al dente) and for my money one of the nicest.
Serves 4
400g spaghetti
Extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
1–2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves picked
400g chard, rinsed leaves shredded and stalks finely sliced
Grated zest and juice of 1 large unwaxed lemon (plus an extra lemon for juice, if needed)
Salt and black pepper
150g of ricotta
Parmesan or pecorino (optional)
1 Put a large pan of boiling water on to boil and add a couple of generous pinches of salt. Once the water is at a rolling boil, add your pasta and cook according to the packet instructions or until just al dente.
2 Meanwhile, heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan and add the garlic, chilli and rosemary. Fry for a minute or so, until the garlic is starting to colour, then add the chard stalks and sizzle for 1-2 minutes. Add the leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes, or until the leaves have wilted a little.
3 Drain the pasta, reserving a mugful of cooking water. Add a splash of the pasta water to the greens and mix well. Grate over the zest of the lemon and squeeze over the juice. Take off the heat and taste for seasoning. Crumble over the ricotta and stir it though. Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and, if you like, a wispy grating of parmesan or pecorino.
- Anna Jones is a chef, writer and author of A Modern Way to Eat and
A Modern Way to Cook (Fourth Estate); annajones.co.uk; @we_are_food
