And you have the liquid that is left behind, called whey. Most cheeses that we know and love are made from the curds but, traditionally at least, ricotta is made from the tiiiiiny bit of curd left behind in the whey.
Cheesemakers make whatever cheese they want to make with the curds, and then repurpose the leftover whey to create ricotta among other whey cheeses. To do this, the whey is heated—usually after a small addition of whole milk and some form of vinegar or citrus juice—and the remaining curds start to coagulate. The curds will become larger and more solid and, eventually, the pot will be emptied into a portion of cheesecloth and strained. This is how ricotta is traditionally made; it's a way to put all that leftover whey to good use.
But these days, at least in the States, we tend to make ricotta from whole milk instead of whey. In this case, the process is the same as making any other cheese—you heat the milk, coagulate it in some way, and then strain the curds from the whey to form a soft, fresh, spreadable cheese product.
Ricotta dip! It's really, really good! Even back then, the practice of using whey, instead of merely discarding it, already existed. The process for making ricotta is relatively simple: By allowing the whey to ferment one or two days in lukewarm temperatures, it becomes more acidic. After fermentation, the whey is cooked to almost boiling; afterward, the residual proteins solidify into curds, which are then filtered through a cloth.
The result is a product with a consistency similar to cottage cheese, but with a sweet taste. Cheese making is a real craft—it takes a lot of skill, practice and experience to make a good cheese.
Even ricotta, in all its simplicity, follows traditions, rules, and methods. The craft of ricotta cheese making is certainly not exclusive to one region or country. Today, ricotta is made in numerous parts of the world, where its production was unknown until a few years ago. The commercial versions of ricotta—sold in many parts of the world, as well as in Italy—are very useful in the kitchen, particularly in pastry and pasta dishes.
But, there is nothing that can compare to the taste of fresh authentic Italian ricotta. Fresh ricotta is readily available in a variety of forms, but the most common types are: ricotta di mucca cow milk ricotta , ricotta di pecora sheep milk ricotta , and ricotta mista di mucca e pecora a mixture of cow and sheep milk ricottas. Ricotta is widely available and inexpensive. In texture, ricotta resembles a grainy, thick sour cream and is naturally low in fat in comparison to other cheeses.
Ricotta, a fresh cheese, turns into ricotta salata when it gets pressed, salted, and dried. The texture becomes more crumbly, like feta or cotija cheese with a similar saltiness. Ricotta and ricotta salata aren't interchangeable. Whereas fresh ricotta may be added to dishes in dollops or stuffed into pasta, ricotta salata makes a good finishing choice to sprinkle on top of a salad, scatter onto a plate, or garnish a soup. To form curds, whey or milk must be acidified, either by natural fermentation or through the addition of an acid such as lemon juice, vinegar, or buttermilk.
Commercial producers also commonly add rennet , a thickener derived from an enzyme found in the stomachs of ruminant animals. When the acidified whey gets heated almost to boiling, the proteins clump together and form curds.
The cooled and strained loose curds become fluffy ricotta. You can make ricotta cheese at home. Take care not to boil the milk, which toughens the curds. You can substitute cottage cheese for ricotta in equal measures, but the flavor will be milder and a bit saltier. Cottage cheese curds are also usually quite a bit larger. For some recipes, you may want to smooth the cottage cheese by putting it through a blender with 1 tablespoon of milk or water.
Cream cheese, including mascarpone, can also work but will increase the fat content of the dish and alter the texture a bit. Queso fresco provides a similar texture and fresh flavor, while a soft, young goat cheese replicates the texture of ricotta but with a vastly different flavor.
Ricotta often appears in recipes for lasagna and other Italian casseroles. It's also a common stuffing ingredient for ravioli, manicotti, and other types of pasta. In desserts, it can be used similarly to mascarpone in cheesecake or blended with sugar, spices, and flavorings to fill cannoli or as a layer cake filling. Ricotta can substitute for mayonnaise in sandwiches and be used in omelets and quiche.
0コメント