Emilia-Romagna might be one of Italy’s wealthiest regions today, but for centuries, many of its residents just barely got by. Nobles benefited from ingredients harvested and foodstuffs crafted by hard-working peasants. Peasants, on the other hand, depended on the nobles’ scraps and leftovers for survival—and creatively turned nothing into something. Perhaps the best example of this is ricotta.
First things first: ricotta is not technically a cheese. This creamy substance is not attained through fermentation, so that disqualifies it as formaggio. It is, however, the by-product of cheese production. After cheese is made, there is abundant leftover whey. To avoid wasting anything, peasants discovered they could heat the liquid with something acidic—vinegar or lemon juice, for example—and the proteins in the whey would coagulate. They strained these and set them in baskets to form a compact mass. The result was fat- and calorie-rich ricotta (which means “twice cooked”), a culinary godsend the peasants used to enrich simple pasta sauces or enjoyed spread onto bread.
Today, ricotta is sold all over the world, but outside of Italy it’s difficult to find versions with the same full, milky flavor and smooth, creamy texture. If the only ricotta readily available to you is commercially produced, the closest approximation to the real deal is then to make your own, which I highly recommend. It is not that difficult. Follow the recipe using the best-quality whole milk you can find; I like Strauss or Clover brands. Don’t even think about using skim or ultra-pasteurized milk. If you prefer to purchase ricotta, Bellwether Farms is my favorite domestic producer. And whether you are making or buying ricotta to use in the other recipes in this book, it can be made with any type of milk—from a cow, goat, sheep, or even a buffalo.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS [750 G]
1 GAL [3.8 L] WHOLE MILK OF CHOICE (SEE HEADNOTE)
1 TBSP KOSHER SALT
1/2 CUP [120 ML] GOOD RED OR WHITE WINE VINEGAR
Line a fine-mesh strainer or chinois with cheesecloth and set it on a sheet tray or into a large bowl.
In a large heavy-bottomed pot over high heat, heat the milk and salt to 185°F [85°C], about 5 minutes, constantly dragging a rubber spatula across the bottom of the pot in a figure-eight pattern. When the mixture reaches temperature, add the vinegar. Stop stirring and turn off the heat. Do not touch it or agitate it, even if it looks like it will boil over (it won’t). The liquid will begin to visibly break away from the curds after about 10 minutes. Once this happens, using a fine-mesh spider, transfer the curds to the prepared colander and refrigerate to drain for at least 2 hours.
The ricotta will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 4 days.