Ri-Cotta, Cooked-Twice: Making a piece of Sicilian Food culture easy.

Homemade Ricotta: A Simple Recipe

It is difficult to find a cream cheese in Sicily that is not ricotta. Apparently, the Cyclops from the Odyssey was identified with Mount Etna (hence the one eye). When Odysseus/Ulysses enters his cave, he exclaims, “Look how good his ricotta is!”

This suggests that ricotta was already being made and enjoyed in those days. The history of ricotta in Sicily finds its evolution in all the cassatas and cannoli! In any case, ricotta is undoubtedly a significant part of our history here.

In Sicily, it is a winter tradition to visit the shepherd, who serves freshly made ricotta while it is still warm, accompanied by bread, olives, and perhaps a little wine for a late Sunday breakfast. In our community, many shepherds continue this tradition, passing down a millennia-old ritual through generations. We often have the opportunity to enjoy it fresh, but here with you, we want to share an easy recipe so you can make it at home. Maybe not the same you had here, things depend of milk you gonna use of course, but a good reply can be achieved. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 1 liter of whole milk
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat the Milk: In a saucepan, gently warm the milk until it reaches a temperature of 90°C (194°F).
  2. Prepare the Lemon Juice: While the milk is heating, squeeze the juice from half a lemon and strain it to remove any pulp or seeds.
  3. Combine Lemon Juice and Milk: Once the milk has reached 90°C, remove it from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Mix gently with a whisk for a few seconds, then cover the pot with a lid.
  4. Let it Rest: Allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes. During this time, curds will begin to form.
  5. Break the Curds: After resting, use a wooden spoon or whisk to gently break the curds that have formed.
  6. Drain the Curds: Using a slotted spoon, transfer a ladleful of curds into a colander placed over a bowl to catch the whey. Let the curds drain for a few seconds before transferring them to a ricotta mold.
  7. Repeat the Process: Continue this process until all the curds have been transferred to the mold.
  8. Press and Chill: Once the mold is full, place it over the colander, cover it with a cloth, and refrigerate for about 3 hours. Your ricotta will be ready when it begins to solidify in the mold.
  9. Storage: Keep the ricotta in the refrigerator, stored in the mold and sealed in a food bag, for up to 3-4 days.