Homemade ricotta

Ricotta is one of the traditional Italian dairy products. It is often called cheese, although this is technically incorrect because ricotta is made primarily from whey, which is left over after the cheese is cooked.

The sweetish taste of this milk delicacy is given by lactose, the presence of which in whey is about 4%. The fat content of the product depends, first of all, on the milk that was used for its preparation. For example, cow's milk ricotta contains only a little more than 8% fat, while the share of this component in a sheep's milk product is 24%.

Quick cake with ricotta and lemon zest

Delicate, airy, and, most importantly, healthy mini-pie can be prepared from simple and affordable ingredients. For the cupcake you will need:

• ricotta - 250 g;
• eggs - 2 units;
• sugar - 75 g;
• butter - 50 g;
• flour - 80 g;
• baking powder - 5 g;
• lemon zest - 1 tbsp. l.;
• salt - ¼ tsp.

All products must be removed from the refrigerator in advance so that they warm up to room temperature.

One of the simplest recipes for baking with ricotta involves following these steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°.
• With a mixer on high speed, beat the soft butter and sugar.
• Add eggs to the creamy mixture one at a time.
• Add ricotta and lemon zest.
• Mix flour with salt and baking powder and add to the rest of the ingredients.
• Knead into a thin dough with a spoon. Place it in a greased pan and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Bake the cake until the toothpick is dry.
• Remove the pan from the oven, cool the cake a little, then top it with icing sugar or sprinkle with powder if desired.

Apple pie made from puff pastry with ricotta

It’s easy to bake a delicious puff pastry pie if you use a ready-made semi-finished product.

• 350 gr. unleavened puff pastry;
• 400 gr. ricotta;
• 1 whole egg and 3 yolks;
• 150 gr. Sahara;
• 1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest;
• 1 apple, cut into small cubes.

Beat the ricotta with the addition of the whole egg and yolks, sugar and zest. Mix this light, tender mass with apple cubes.

Defrost the dough, cut off a small piece for decoration, and roll out the rest and place it in a greased pan so that sides are formed. Pour the prepared apple-cheese mixture onto the dough.

Roll out the remaining piece of dough thinly, cut into strips and place them in the form of a lattice on the surface of the filling. Cook for approximately thirty minutes at 190 degrees.

Cheesecake with ricotta in the oven

Dense texture, delicate taste and amazing lemon aroma - and these are not all the advantages of this type of baking with ricotta. Shortcrust pastry cheesecake is prepared from the following ingredients:

• 1 egg;
• 50 g butter;
• 3 tbsp. l. granulated sugar;
• 140 g flour;
• 1 tsp. baking powder.

For the cheese filling you will need:

• 500 g ricotta;
• 3 eggs;
• 5 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• 30 ml lemon juice;
• 1 tbsp. l. lemon zest;
• ½ tsp. vanillin.

Step-by-step preparation of cheesecake in the oven:

• Beat the butter with a mixer until fluffy. Add sugar, egg and beat again until smooth. Sift the flour with baking powder and knead into a smooth shortbread dough. Wrap it in film and put it in the refrigerator for half an hour.
• Roll out the chilled dough into a circle and, using a rolling pin, transfer it into a baking dish with a diameter of 18 cm. Distribute the layer along the bottom and walls, forming sides 3-4 cm high. Cover the dough with parchment, put peas or beans on top as a weight, and place shape into an oven preheated to 200° for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the ricotta and sugar filling by mixing the ingredients with a hand whisk. Add eggs one at a time into the cheese mixture, add grated zest and lemon juice. Place the filling inside the cooled crust.
• Reduce oven temperature to 160°.
• Place the mold inside a larger deep baking tray, after pouring water into it.
• Bake the cheesecake in a water bath for 60 minutes. After this, open the oven door slightly and leave the dessert in it until it cools completely.
• Before serving the cheesecake, it needs to be cooled well. To do this, it is recommended to cover the mold with the cooled dessert with film and place it in the refrigerator overnight.

Bavarian shortcrust pastry pie

Lovers of crumbly pastries will appreciate Bavarian apple pie. Its base is shortbread dough, and the filling is so delicate that it is difficult to stop at just one piece.

The basis:

• 150 gr. butter;
• 100 sugar or powder;
• 200 gr. flour.

Filling:

• 250 gr. ricotta;
• 1 egg;
• 100 gr. Sahara;
• 3 apples;
• a pinch of vanillin.

Grind the butter with powder, then add flour and quickly knead the shortbread dough. Immediately put it in the mold, spread it with your hands, forming a flat cake with sides. Temporarily place the form with the dough in the refrigerator.

No Bake Ricotta Recipe

You can put absolutely any berries inside this delicate cheesecake. But there is no way to replace ricotta. It is thanks to this cheese that the dessert turns out light and low-fat. In addition, preparing it is not difficult at all:

• Prepare a springform pan with a diameter of 20 cm.
• Melt 70 g butter in the microwave.
• Grind cookies (300 g) in a blender. Add butter to the resulting crumbs and mix.
• Place the crushed cookies in the mold and press down using the bottom of the glass. Place in the refrigerator while the filling is being prepared.
• Beat the ricotta (500 g) with a mixer at low speed. Add 200 ml of natural yoghurt, powdered sugar (5 tbsp) and vanillin. Mix.
• Soak gelatin (2 tbsp) in water (6 times more than powder).
• Mix black currants or blueberries with powdered sugar (2 tbsp) and half of the swollen gelatin.
• Whip 33% fat cream (200 ml) until fluffy peaks form. Heat the gelatin, cool slightly and add to the cream.
• Combine them with the cheese mixture. Divide it into 2 equal parts. Add berries to one half and immediately distribute it over the crust. Place the second part of the filling on top.
• Place the cheesecake pan in the refrigerator for 10 hours.

Homemade ricotta cheese - a simple recipe

The recipe for ricotta at home is slightly different from the Italian one. But the resulting cheese product will not taste worse than its Italian counterpart. You will need:

• a glass of 20% cream;
• 750 ml. milk;
• 4 tbsp. l. lemon juice;
• salt and sugar (a pinch).

Homemade ricotta cheese is prepared as follows:

1. Take a larger saucepan. In it we combine milk, cream, salt and granulated sugar. Bring to a boiling point. Stir constantly during cooking, otherwise the mixture will stick to the bottom and burn.
2. Remove from heat until boiling and add lemon juice. Stir and leave undisturbed for a few minutes. The milk mixture will begin to curdle.
3. Take a colander or metal sieve. Cover with clean gauze in a couple of layers. Place the separated mixture on cheesecloth to drain off excess liquid.
4. Leave the cheese for an hour or two so that the grains bind together and form the desired consistency.

Homemade ricotta cheese can give you the texture you want. The longer it sits in gauze, the thicker it will be as a result.

Cheesecakes with ricotta

Surprisingly soft buns with a juicy filling inside are suggested to be prepared according to the following baking recipe. If necessary, ricotta can be replaced with low-fat cottage cheese.

The whole cooking process looks like this step by step:

• It is convenient to knead the dough in a bread machine using dry instant yeast, which can be added directly to the flour without making dough. So, you need to break 1 egg into the bowl of the device, pour in 50 ml of melted butter and 1 glass of milk. Add 400 g of flour, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of yeast. Select the dough kneading program on the display. This process usually takes 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Divide the kneaded dough into 10 equal parts, forming balls. Cover them with a towel and leave on the table for 30 minutes.
• Make the filling from ricotta (250 g), sugar (50 g) and 1 egg. Mix the ingredients with a fork or whisk.
• Use a glass to make a hole in each ball of dough.
• Transfer the cheesecake preparations to a baking sheet.
• Place ricotta filling inside each cavity. Brush the edges of the dough with egg.
• Bake the cheesecakes for 25 minutes in an oven preheated to 190°.

Baking with ricotta and apples

You can't find a person who doesn't like this pie. Traditionally, ricotta is used to prepare it. Baked goods based on this cheese perfectly combine delicious shortbread dough and a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth filling. Well, you need to prepare such a pie according to the following step-by-step instructions:

• Prepare the oven by preheating it to 200°.
• Beat softened butter (150 g) with powdered sugar (100 g) with a mixer. Add flour (200 g) and knead the dough. Distribute it over the mold (diameter 24 cm) to create low sides.
• Beat the ricotta (250 g) with a submersible blender with vanilla sugar (1 tsp) and regular sugar (100 g).
• Peel and seed apples (3 pcs.), cut into thin slices.
• Place the cheese filling on the dough and distribute the apple slices on top. If desired, sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top.
• Bake the cake for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180° and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

Types of ricotta

Today, ricotta is considered one of the most popular ingredients for preparing a variety of desserts, cakes and savory pies. In addition, it is often used in baking traditional Easter bread, Pastiera, and lasagna.

Ricotta cheese can be made from cow's or sheep's milk whey, while Italians also use buffalo and goat whey. Not only the ways of using ricotta in dishes, but also the methods of its production differ in a wide range:

• ricotta fresca. Fresh ricotta, not subjected to any processing;
• ricotta forte. Unaged, soft variety of ricotta. Used as a spread on bread;
• ricotta affumicata. Smoked ricotta made from goat's milk whey;
• ricotta romana. An aged, firm variety of ricotta with a salty flavor;
• ricotta al forno. Ricotta cooked in the oven. It can have a variety of flavors - lemon, chocolate, etc.

Pie with ricotta and strawberries

The following recipe will especially appeal to fans of simple and quick baking. The ricotta in this pie makes the dough moist, and the berries add a tender and juicy note. Preparing a quick pastry for tea couldn’t be easier:

• Heat the oven to 180°.
• Grease a baking dish with olive oil.
• Beat eggs (2 pcs.) at maximum mixer speed for 5 minutes. The egg mass should become fluffy and snow-white.
• Without stopping whisking, add 150 g of sugar.
• Separately, sift flour (200 g) with baking powder (½ tsp).
• Gently, literally spoon by spoon, add the dry mixture into the egg mass.
• Add ricotta (120 g) ground through a sieve to the almost finished dough and pour in olive oil (2 tbsp.). Mix.
• Transfer the dough into the mold, smooth it with a spatula and place in the oven for 40 minutes.

Tartlets with berries and ricotta

For such baking you will need ready-made shortbread dough. It can be prepared in advance and refrigerated overnight. Then the process of preparing dessert will go faster. Here's how to prepare this version of baking with ricotta:

• Set the oven temperature to 180°.
• Roll out the chilled dough into a thin layer and cut out the pieces using tartlet molds.
• Distribute the dough along the bottom and sides of the molds.
• In a blender bowl, beat 200 g ricotta, 100 ml heavy cream, 50 g caster sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Add 1 whole egg and 1 yolk to the resulting mass. Beat the curd and cream mixture again.
• Put some berries (raspberries, blueberries, currants) into each mold with dough and pour the ricotta filling on top.
• Bake the tartlets in the preheated oven for 17 minutes.

Shortbread pie with apples and cheese filling

Let's prepare another version of shortbread pie with halves of apples and cheese filling.

Dough:

• 2 cups of flour;
• 180 gr. butter;
• 1 tablespoon sugar;
• 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar;
• 1 egg;
• 3 tablespoons of water.

Filling:

• 3 apples;
• 2 eggs;
• three quarters of a glass of sugar;
• 200 gr. ricotta;

First, prepare the sand layer. Grate the very cooled butter into the sifted flour. Mix the products, add both types of sugar, egg and water. Mix the dough. Let it sit in the cold for 1 hour or more.

Cut the apples in half, remove the cores, and remove the skin. On the convex side we make shallow cuts with a knife in the form of a mesh. Grind the ricotta with sugar, eggs, beat this mass well.

Roll out the chilled dough and place it in the mold, spreading it over the bottom and inner walls. Place the apple halves into the resulting “bowl” of dough, convex sides up, and fill with filling. Cook for forty-five minutes at medium heat (180 °C).

Italian Easter ricotta pie

You can prepare this version of sweet pastries not only for Easter, but also on any other day, for example, when guests arrive. The delicious filling of sugar, cheese, cinnamon and chocolate will appeal to everyone without exception.

We offer a detailed recipe for sweet pastries with ricotta:

• Place the wet cheese (500 g) in a colander, cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
• For the dough, beat 220 g of butter with sugar (½ tbsp.) into a soft, creamy mass. Then add the orange zest and first add the yolks (2 pcs.), one at a time, and only after that the whole eggs (2 pcs.).
• Sift 3 cups of flour, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of baking powder into the dough.
• Divide the dough into 2 unequal parts (one larger and the other smaller) and cool it well.
• Prepare the filling from ricotta, 100 g sugar, beaten eggs (3 pcs.) and cinnamon (½ tsp). Add 80 g of chocolate chips to it.
• Spread most of the dough into the pan and place the filling on top. Cover it with wide strips of dough in the form of a lattice, cutting them out from the smaller part.
• Bake the cake at 160° for 1 hour.

Creamy ricotta for cheesecake

Italian ricotta can also be made with cream. The cheese has a delicate creamy taste and an incomparable aroma.

You will need 1 liter of milk and 300 ml of 25% cream. Combine the dairy products in a saucepan and place them on the stove. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil over low heat. Pour in the juice of half a lemon and simmer for another minute. During this time, the curdled clots should already separate from the whey. You shouldn’t keep the milk and cream on the fire for too long, otherwise the cheese will be too rubbery in consistency, and we need tenderness.

Cover the pan with a towel and let it cool. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the future cheese into cheesecloth and place it in a colander. You can squeeze the gauze a little to speed up the cooking process, because you really want to try this delicious delicacy as soon as possible! Add ricotta to salads and soups and, most importantly, try to make a real cheesecake with this cheese at least once. After this, you will prepare this dessert only with ricotta!

The fat content of ricotta depends on the fat content of the milk - it is approximately 17 g per 100 g of product with a calorie content of about 175 kcal. It turns out that this cheese can be called a dietary treat, especially when compared with ordinary cheeses. In other words, you can enjoy ricotta more often than you previously thought!

Ricotta and spinach pie

Tender and soft cheese can be used to prepare not only sweet pastries. Ricotta with spinach is an equally tasty combination. And how festive this pie looks on the table. Try cooking it using the following instructions:

• Defrost puff pastry without yeast (300 g).
• Wash spinach leaves (400 g), dry on a towel and finely chop. Simmer it in ghee for 2-3 minutes.
• Transfer the spinach mixture to a bowl and let cool.
• Prepare other ingredients for the filling: grate 50 g of cheese, and cut 100 g of smoked red fish into small pieces.
• Combine ricotta (500 g) with an egg beaten with a fork. Add fish, cheese and spinach, squeeze out a clove of garlic. If necessary, add salt and pepper to the filling.
• Divide the dough into 2 parts, rolling each into a circle with a diameter of 30 cm.
• The cake should be formed on a baking sheet.
• Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the center onto the dough sheet in a heap, and distribute the rest along the edge in the form of a wide ring. Cover the filling with another layer of dough.
• In the center, where the filling is laid out in a heap, place a cup of a suitable size. Shape the edges of the dough, trim off the excess. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 3 cm wide segments. Carefully turn them 90° so that the filling is at the top.
• Remove the cup from the center and sprinkle the dough with sunflower seeds.
• Bake the pie at 200° for 30 minutes.