You Too, Can Be The Hit Of The New Years Party!

Ok, here is an easy way to be a hero at your New Years Party and there is VERY little work involved!

Baked Ricotta Cheese!!! And, the best part is, that you will make your own ricotta!!!!

Scared?

You shouldn’t be!! It is soooooooooooooooooooooo easy, and so very, very good!!!! This is the way I made my own ricotta cheese!

4 cups whole milk….must be whole milk, as part skim ricotta will not give you a creamy product.
1 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons of a really good white wine vinegar or fresh squeezed lemon juice – and it must be fresh squeezed, not out of a bottle!

1 hefty teaspoon of kosher salt

That is it!

Bring the milk, cream and salt to a boil….it will not be a huge rolling boil but a sustained boil is a must. Turn off the heat, and pour in the vinegar or lemon juice, which ever you are using….stir well and let is set for a couple of minutes. Stir again so break up the curds and

pour into a fine strainer over a bowl and allow to drain…

this can take up to 30 minutes depending on how thick and dry you want the ricotta.

This is what it looks like!!Refrigerate for later use or mix up for baked ricotta!

Baked Ricotta Spread…..
2 Cups Freshly Made Ricotta
2 cloves garlic, that you will shave on a zester
2 Tble Heavy Cream
¼ Cup fresh herbs….I use Basil, or Thyme or Parsley, or a combo or any.
1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Put the olive oil in the bottom of an oven proof ceramic dish suitable for a 2 cup volume. In a separate bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients, making sure to chop the fresh herbs finely….place in the baking dish. Bake at 325* for a20minutes. [I then transferred to a fondue dish to enable keeping it really warm throughout the meal] and serve with a crusty bread, or whole wheat crackers….it will be a huge hit!!!!!!!