Ricotta - Is it a Cheese?

Mostly people know that Ricotta is a Cheese but technically, ricotta is not a cheese at all, but a cheese by-product. Its name, ricotta, means cooked again, an obvious reference to the production method used to make it. Ricotta is a fresh, soft, snowy white cheese with a rich but mild, slightly sweet flavor and contains around 5% fat . The texture is much like a grainy, thick sour cream. Not only is it a popular ingredient in such dishes as lasagna, ricotta is used in a wide variety of desserts as well, including cheesecake and turnovers. Since ricotta is made primarily from lactose-rich whey, it should be avoided by those who are lactose-intolerant.

Types of Ricotta you find in market:

Ricotta de Pecora - sheep's cheese whey.
Ricotta Salata - salted to preserve shelf life.
Ricotta Infornata - salted and baked.
Ricotta Vaccina - made from whey of cow's milk cheese.
Ricotta Secca - harder and used for grating.

Buying and storing tips: Choose the freshest possible and purchase only in quantities you can use within two or three days. Ricotta does not remain fresh long. Wrap in tightly sealed double layers and freeze if necessary. Allow it to thaw completely at refrigerated temperature.

Where can you use them:

Like cream cheese, ricotta is often most flavorful when blended with other foods.
Combine it with sweet foods for pastry filling.
Mix with meats and/or vegetables for baked turnovers.
If using in a sauce, add in the last few minutes to prevent flavor loss.
When serving fresh, just add a few favorite herbs plus salt and pepper to taste.
Puree ricotta for a smoother texture.

Homemade ricotta is easy and once you know how you will never buy it again and here is how to make it.

Homemade Ricotta:

Ingredients

1 gallon whole pasteurized milk
1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt (more if you want a saltier taste and if you are not going to use it for desserts)

Method

Rinse the inside of the pot you intend to use with cold water (this helps prevent the milk from scorching).
Place 1 gallon milk in large, heavy non-reactive pot on medium heat. Add salt and stir briefly. Allow milk to heat up slowly, stirring occasionally. Soon you will notice steam start to form above the surface and tiny bubbles appearing on the milk. You want it to reach 180-185 degrees, near scalding temperature, just before it comes to a boil. Check the temperature with your thermometer.
When it reaches the correct temperature, take the pot off the burner, add the vinegar and stir gently for only one minute. Add salt. You will notice curds forming immediately. Cover with a dry clean dish towel and allow the mixture to sit undisturbed for a couple of hours.
When the ricotta has rested for 2 hours or more, take a piece of cheesecloth, dampen it and place it inside a colander.
With a slotted spoon, ladle out the ricotta into the prepared colander. Place the colander with ricotta inside of a larger pan so it can drain freely. Let it drain for two hours or so depending on how creamy or dry you want your cheese to be.
Lift the cheesecloth up by the four corners and twist gently. If the liquid runs clear, squeeze a little more. If the liquid runs milky, there is no more need to squeeze.
Place in a tight sealed container. Refrigerate. It will keep for up to 7 days. Ricotta does not freeze well.

Ricotta muesli wraps

Ingredients

Ricotta muesli wrap

150gm low-fat ricotta cheese
2 tbs low-fat strawberry yogurt
1/2 cup Swiss-style natural muesli
4 sheets of Mountain Bread^TM
2 medium bananas, sliced
100gm strawberries, sliced

Method

Put the ricotta, yogurt and muesli into a bowl and mix to combine.
Lay the Mountain Bread^TM on a flat surface. Spread the ricotta mixture down the centre of the bread and top with the sliced bananas and strawberries.
Roll up to enclose the filling. Cut in half and serve immediately. Serves 4.

All ricotta is high in calcium and also low in salt, even lower than cottage cheese. Ricotta is cheap, nutritious and low in fat. Enjoy!!

(Sources: mountainbread.com.au, wisegeek.com, homecooking.about.com, italianfood.about.com, bigoven.com)