Ricotta

Traditional Italian Ricotta (Fresh Whey Cheese)

True Italian ricotta is made by re-heating the whey left over from making other cheeses (most famously pecorino or mozzarella) and curdling the residual proteins with acid and heat. The result is a delicate, fluffy, snow-white curd with a clean, slightly sweet flavor. Making it at home requires only patience and careful temperature control.

Prep

20 min

Cook

40 min

Total

60 min

Serves

About 500 g (1 lb 2 oz)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •4 L (1 gal) fresh whey, from a previous cheese-making session (cow, sheep, or goat); the fresher the better, ideally still warm
• •500 ml (2 cups) whole milk, optional, traditional in southern Italy (ricotta 'mista'); use whole cow's milk
• •60 ml (¼ cup) white wine vinegar or lemon juice, freshly squeezed lemon juice is most traditional
• •1 g (¼ tsp) fine sea salt, optional, a pinch only; traditional ricotta is often unsalted

Steps

1. 1 Line a large colander with a double layer of butter muslin (or a clean, fine-weave cotton kitchen towel) and set it over a deep bowl to catch the draining whey.
2. 2 Pour the fresh whey (and milk, if using) into a wide, heavy-bottomed stainless-steel pot. Slowly heat over medium-low, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom, until the temperature reaches 85–90 °C (185–195 °F). Use a cooking thermometer — do not let it boil vigorously.
3. 3 Once the target temperature is reached, turn off the heat. Slowly drizzle in the lemon juice or vinegar while gently stirring with a wooden spoon in a figure-eight motion. You should see fine, snow-white flecks (the curds) begin to form within 30–60 seconds.
4. 4 Let the pot sit undisturbed off the heat for 10–15 minutes. The curds will rise to the surface as a soft, foamy mass. Do not stir.
5. 5 Gently ladle (or pour very carefully) the curds into the muslin-lined colander. Let them drain for 30 minutes for a soft, moist ricotta (the traditional 'fresca'); for a firmer, drier ricotta, drain 2–4 hours at room temperature, or until the dripping has nearly stopped.
6. 6 Tie the corners of the muslin together and hang the bundle from a wooden spoon over a pot for an additional 30–60 minutes if you want a slightly drier result.
7. 7 Transfer the curd to a bowl, fold in the salt if using, and taste. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate; it will keep for up to 3 days.
8. 8 Doneness / safety cue: The final curd should reach at least 72 °C (162 °F) during the heating step to ensure any residual bacteria from the whey are reduced. Always use whey that has been kept refrigerated since collection and used within 24 hours. Consume the finished ricotta within 3 days.