This weeks Post Card, is an easy homemade recipe for ricotta. As Spring is starting to show itself, with warmer weather and buds bursting, I find myself wanting to get out into the garden. But, not so fast! It is a bit too early to do much in the upper midwest, as we can have frost as late as Memorial Day! I can satisfy this pent up energy by opening the windows of the kitchen wide, and digging into some easy slow recipes.
Homemade Ricotta
1/2 Gallon whole milk
2 C. heavy cream
1 tsp. coarse salt (I used Kosher)
6 Tbsp. lemon juice
Combine milk, cream, and salt in a saucepan and cook until it reaches 190 degrees. Remove from the heat, add the lemon juice and gently stir until well combined. Let sit for 10 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth lined strainer over a bowl and let sit straining fro 1 hour, this separates the curds and whey. Transfer to a container and refrigerate or use immediately.
This is so easy to use in this Ricotta Gnocchi recipe. My kids used to call these pasta pillows. They are light, airy and perfect with homemade pesto!
Cooking Tip: Change your mindset. Don’t approach cooking as “ugh! I’ve gotta get it done so I can finish x, y z.” Treat it as a meditation. Put on some music or a podcast, and stay present in each knife cut of the vegetable or roll of the dough; it will change your perspective and be infinitly more enjoyable :)
Until Next Time,
