Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Please welcome author, pastry chef, and delightful raconteur David Lebovitz of DavidLebovitz.com who shares with us his way of making homemade ricotta cheese. whether you haven’t yet picked up David’s latest book The Sweet Life in Paris you’re lost out! ~Elise

With so many fabulous cheeses made in France (where I live) I guess there’s not the need to import more from elsewhere. But for those of us that occasionally manufacture recipes calling for a large amount of ricotta, there aren’t any 2-pound tubs available, just tiny plastic containers in the supermarket. You can find very good ricotta by taking a trip to an Italian épicerie, although whether you need a large quantity, you’ll quickly find yourself

headed for the maison des pauvres. (The Poor House.)

Making ricotta really is easy and for the price of a quart or two of milk, you can have a lovely mound of freshly-made, still-warm ricotta with very little effort. Homemade ricotta makes a wonderful base for Italian cheesecakes, ravioli fillings, and lasagna. I like to serve a spoonful of that with sliced fresh fruit; peaches, nectarines, or berries are lovely, along with a drizzle of honey. It plus produce a nice accompaniment to a stewed apricot compote, fresh or ripe figs, or poached dried fruits in the winter.

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