Post by jackdag on Aug 6, 2011 17:44:13 GMT -8
Goat Ricotta Cheese (whey)
Whey contains the water-soluble proteins, vitamins, and minerals in the milk, so it's a shame to pour it down the drain. There are many things you can do with this leftover whey.
You can use it in bread baking and soup stock. It is wonderful to cook pasta or beans in (increase the cooking time slightly). You can feed it to your pig or chickens (don't feed it to the dog if you let her come in at night. 'cause you will have to keep letting her out to pee. ask me how I know).
It can be used to water plants. but if it is whey that you have added vinegar to, only use it to water acid-loving plants. such as junipers or roses.
You can even drink whey plain or sweetened.
One of the really neat things about making cheese is that almost every time you make a hard cheese you can also make Ricotta (ri-kot'e. re-kotla).
Ricotta is Italian for "to cook again" or "twice cooked." It is a soft, smooth. fresh. unripened Italian cheese usually made from the whey of cow's or sheep's milk.
It can be used in a variety of sweet and savory dishes including lasagna. ravioli, and cannoli.
Ricotta is made by using heat to precipitate (separate) out the remaining albumin protein from the whey left over from making lactic acid/rennet precipitated cheeses.
Many recipes call for the addition of some whole milk to increase the yield, but I find this effects the texture (makes it grainier) and I don't add it. I like my Ricotta "Old World Style"-smooth.
PLEASE NOTE that you cannot make Ricotta from the whey left over from making an acid precipitated cheese such as Panir/Queso Blanco or whole milk Ricotta.
That is because you've already precipitated out all the albumin protein the milk has to give using acid and heat and there is nothing left over in the remaining whey to make whey Ricotta.
Traditional Ricotta Recipe, using only Whey
Making Ricotta is very simple. Over direct heat, heat the hard cheese whey to 2000 (sometimes I accidentally heat it over 2000 with no ill effects).
By the time it has reached this temperature you will see very tiny white particles (the albumin protein) floating in the whey.
The heat and acid from the ripe whey has precipitated the protein.
You can add a little vinegar at this point if you really think it necessary (one "glug" or 1/4 C. per 2 gallons of whey). it's up to you. and it won't hurt the Ricotta.
Line a colander with very fine cheesecloth, called "butter muslin". You must use a very fine cloth here, or your cheese will pass through the regular cloth. If you do not have fine cheesecloth, use a clean cotton cloth (like a pillow case). Place the colander over a big pot so you can save the whey and carefully pour the whey into the colander.
Be very careful because the liquid is hot. Tie the ends of the cheesecloth together and hang the ricotta to drain for a couple hours.
When it has drained, place the ricotta in a bowl and add salt to taste. You will find that the Ricotta made from the whey of different cheeses has different tastes and textures. I think Mozzarella makes the best.
Feta makes the strongest tasting (the taste increases as it ages in the fridge). Ricotta will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.
Whole Milk Ricotta Recipe
Mile it isn't "traditional" it is nice to be able to make ricotta out of plain 'ol milk you can buy at the store.
This is the first cheese I ever made. I started making it quite a bit after I realized that making my own Ricotta with store bought milk was cheaper (and more fun) than buying Ricotta at the store.
This "Ricotta" will be drier and not as smooth and creamy as the traditional "real" Ricotta. It tastes great and can be used as a ricotta substitute is most receipts.
In a heavy pot. over direct heat, heat 2 quarts of whole milk to 200° (sometime I accidentally heat it to boiling).
Add 3 Tablespoons of white vinegar or 1/4 Cup of fresh, strained lemon juice.
Make sure to bring the temperature back up to 200*. You will see very tiny white particles (the albumin protein) floating in the whey.
The heat and acid from the ripe whey has precipitated the protein.
Remove the pot from the heat and set it, covered, to rest undisturbed for about 15 minutes.
Line a colander with very fine cheesecloth, called "butter muslin". You must use a very fine cloth here, or your cheese will pass through the regular cloth.
If you do not have fine cheesecloth, use a clean cotton cloth (like a pillow case).
Place the colander over a big pot so you can save the whey and carefully pour the whey into the colander.
Be very careful because the liquid is hot. Tie the ends of the cheesecloth together and hang the ricotta to drain for an hour or so (the longer you hand it, the "drier" your finished cheese will be.
When it has drained, place the ricotta in a bowl, break up, stir and add salt to taste (1/4 tsp.- 1/2 tsp.). This Ricotta will keep for about a week in the fridge.
After you have made your Ricotta, you will still have a lot of whey left over. You can now use it for some of the things I've listed at the beginning of this column.
Ricotta freezes fairly well, but is never quite as good as fresh. I freeze lots of Ricotta in the summer to use in bread baking in the winter.
The following Dill bread recipe uses both whey and ricotta in its preparation.
If you don't have whey and Ricotta, this bread can be made with water instead of whey, and small curd cottage cheese instead of Ricotta.
This is a delicious bread that makes excellent toast and grilled cheese sandwiches.
Whey contains the water-soluble proteins, vitamins, and minerals in the milk, so it's a shame to pour it down the drain. There are many things you can do with this leftover whey.
You can use it in bread baking and soup stock. It is wonderful to cook pasta or beans in (increase the cooking time slightly). You can feed it to your pig or chickens (don't feed it to the dog if you let her come in at night. 'cause you will have to keep letting her out to pee. ask me how I know).
It can be used to water plants. but if it is whey that you have added vinegar to, only use it to water acid-loving plants. such as junipers or roses.
You can even drink whey plain or sweetened.
One of the really neat things about making cheese is that almost every time you make a hard cheese you can also make Ricotta (ri-kot'e. re-kotla).
Ricotta is Italian for "to cook again" or "twice cooked." It is a soft, smooth. fresh. unripened Italian cheese usually made from the whey of cow's or sheep's milk.
It can be used in a variety of sweet and savory dishes including lasagna. ravioli, and cannoli.
Ricotta is made by using heat to precipitate (separate) out the remaining albumin protein from the whey left over from making lactic acid/rennet precipitated cheeses.
Many recipes call for the addition of some whole milk to increase the yield, but I find this effects the texture (makes it grainier) and I don't add it. I like my Ricotta "Old World Style"-smooth.
PLEASE NOTE that you cannot make Ricotta from the whey left over from making an acid precipitated cheese such as Panir/Queso Blanco or whole milk Ricotta.
That is because you've already precipitated out all the albumin protein the milk has to give using acid and heat and there is nothing left over in the remaining whey to make whey Ricotta.
Traditional Ricotta Recipe, using only Whey
Making Ricotta is very simple. Over direct heat, heat the hard cheese whey to 2000 (sometimes I accidentally heat it over 2000 with no ill effects).
By the time it has reached this temperature you will see very tiny white particles (the albumin protein) floating in the whey.
The heat and acid from the ripe whey has precipitated the protein.
You can add a little vinegar at this point if you really think it necessary (one "glug" or 1/4 C. per 2 gallons of whey). it's up to you. and it won't hurt the Ricotta.
Line a colander with very fine cheesecloth, called "butter muslin". You must use a very fine cloth here, or your cheese will pass through the regular cloth. If you do not have fine cheesecloth, use a clean cotton cloth (like a pillow case). Place the colander over a big pot so you can save the whey and carefully pour the whey into the colander.
Be very careful because the liquid is hot. Tie the ends of the cheesecloth together and hang the ricotta to drain for a couple hours.
When it has drained, place the ricotta in a bowl and add salt to taste. You will find that the Ricotta made from the whey of different cheeses has different tastes and textures. I think Mozzarella makes the best.
Feta makes the strongest tasting (the taste increases as it ages in the fridge). Ricotta will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.
Whole Milk Ricotta Recipe
Mile it isn't "traditional" it is nice to be able to make ricotta out of plain 'ol milk you can buy at the store.
This is the first cheese I ever made. I started making it quite a bit after I realized that making my own Ricotta with store bought milk was cheaper (and more fun) than buying Ricotta at the store.
This "Ricotta" will be drier and not as smooth and creamy as the traditional "real" Ricotta. It tastes great and can be used as a ricotta substitute is most receipts.
In a heavy pot. over direct heat, heat 2 quarts of whole milk to 200° (sometime I accidentally heat it to boiling).
Add 3 Tablespoons of white vinegar or 1/4 Cup of fresh, strained lemon juice.
Make sure to bring the temperature back up to 200*. You will see very tiny white particles (the albumin protein) floating in the whey.
The heat and acid from the ripe whey has precipitated the protein.
Remove the pot from the heat and set it, covered, to rest undisturbed for about 15 minutes.
Line a colander with very fine cheesecloth, called "butter muslin". You must use a very fine cloth here, or your cheese will pass through the regular cloth.
If you do not have fine cheesecloth, use a clean cotton cloth (like a pillow case).
Place the colander over a big pot so you can save the whey and carefully pour the whey into the colander.
Be very careful because the liquid is hot. Tie the ends of the cheesecloth together and hang the ricotta to drain for an hour or so (the longer you hand it, the "drier" your finished cheese will be.
When it has drained, place the ricotta in a bowl, break up, stir and add salt to taste (1/4 tsp.- 1/2 tsp.). This Ricotta will keep for about a week in the fridge.
After you have made your Ricotta, you will still have a lot of whey left over. You can now use it for some of the things I've listed at the beginning of this column.
Ricotta freezes fairly well, but is never quite as good as fresh. I freeze lots of Ricotta in the summer to use in bread baking in the winter.
The following Dill bread recipe uses both whey and ricotta in its preparation.
If you don't have whey and Ricotta, this bread can be made with water instead of whey, and small curd cottage cheese instead of Ricotta.
This is a delicious bread that makes excellent toast and grilled cheese sandwiches.
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