Gastronomy: Homemade Ricotta, Fun Making and Eating for the Whole Family

My husband and I fell in love with fresh, handmade ricotta during our first trip to Italy. Richer yet more buoyant than the ricotta we were acquainted with, these creamy cloud droplets won both our hearts and palates. Upon our return to the U.S. with our new-found penchant for good ricotta, we were left with but one choice: To make it ourselves.

Ricotta recipes overflow on the web, but the proportions vary little. We ended up trying Maria Helm Sinskey’s recipe from her cookbook, Family Meals. Beautifully illustrated and down-right fool-proof, we found Maria’s recipe deliciously easy! Whether you fold in herbs to stuff a cream puff or accompany a sandwich, top it on pizza, mix it into your favorite pasta, or create a crowd-pleasin’ lasagna, handmade ricotta is an unrivaled velvety treat that the whole family can enjoy making and eating together.

Ingredients
1 gallon whole milk
2 c heavy cream
¼ plus 2 T distilled white vinegar (lemon juice can also be substituted for vinegar)
1 t kosher salt

Supplies
Large, nonreactive pot
Spatula
Instant-read thermometer
Colander
Cheesecloth (can be purchased from any hardware store)
Large bowl
Slotted spoon or strainer
Airtight container
Clean cloth/towel

Pour the milk and cream into a pot. Over medium-high heat, heat milk and cream to just below boiling or to 185 degrees. With a spatula, keep stirring so liquid doesn’t scorch. Just before the milk boils, the surface will bubble and begin to release steam. Do not heat to over 185 degrees. Turn off heat. Add the vinegar and stir for 30 seconds; add the salt and stir for an additional 30 seconds. Cover the pot with a dish towel and let the curds stand at room temperature for two hours.

Line the colander with a large square of cheesecloth and place the colander over a bowl to catch the draining liquid. Using the strainer/slotted spoon, gently transfer the curds from the pot to the colander. Let the ricotta drain for about 30 minutes.

Gather the cheesecloth by its corners and twist together to force out the liquid. When the liquid turns from clear to milky and the cheese starts to push through the cheesecloth, stop the draining process. Remove the ricotta from the cheesecloth to an airtight container; store in the refrigerator. The ricotta can be saved for up to 1 week.

Gastronomy: Classic Lasagna

Recently, I had a rather hearty laugh reading about the very-Italian Matilda Cuomo (the mother of politician Andrew Cuomo) and her thoughts on Andrew's longtime girlfriend’s rendition of lasagna. Sandra Lee, Food Network’s notoriously awful cook and host of Semi-Homemade, believes that lasagna is prepared with cottage cheese and canned tomato soup. Supposedly Mr. Cuomo's favorite meal, his mother commented, “…that’s not the way lasagna should be made.” You need not be Italian, a famous chef, or even a consummate foodie to make that statement. Sandra's version of the classic dish sounds plain awful. Unfortunately, she is not the only person to be under the evil assumption that lasagna is a layering of grisly ground beef, a jar of Ragu, and cottage cheese.

Lasagna done wrong is one of the world’s most terrible casseroles and lasagna done right (and there are many renditions) couldn’t be more delicious. Here is my recipe for lasagna and a classic, easy marinara sauce—both can be prepared a day in advance. Made with three fresh cheeses, olive oil, and wine-rich sauce, this dish is still easy without having to subject your family to bland, curded cheese swimming in a sea of Campbell’s.

Basic Tomato Basil Sauce

4 T olive oil
½ can tomato paste
4 handfuls or 1 c chopped fresh basil
4 large cloves minced garlic
2 T finely chopped fresh oregano, or 1 T dried
4 28 oz cans tomato sauce
1 c red wine
¼ c grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Heat olive oil in a large pot over low to medium heat. Sauté garlic until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Stir in basil and oregano. Add red wine and reduce until almost completely dissipated. Add tomato sauce, cheese, and paste. Bring to a heavy simmer. Cook over medium-heat, one hour; cook over low-heat additional hour, stirring occasionally.

Sausage Lasagna

1 lb mild Italian sausage
1 package (16 sheets) no-bake lasagna pasta
2 eggs
1/2 c grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
15 oz container of fresh ricotta cheese
2 T chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
½ lb sliced mozzarella cheese
1 recipe Basic Tomato Basil sauce
1 c chopped bail (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together eggs, ricotta, shredded mozzarella, parmesan, and parsley until blended.

Spread 1 ½ cups of sauce on bottom of 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Layer four uncooked lasagna sheets, 1/3 ricotta mixture, half of the sausage, ½ of the sliced mozzarella, and 1 - 1 ½ cups sauce.

Layer four more lasagna sheets, 1/3 ricotta mixture, and 1 - 1 ½ cups sauce.

Layer four more lasagna sheets, the remaining ricotta, the remaining sausage, and 1 - 1 ½ cups sauce.

Layer the last four lasagna sheets, 1-1 ½ cups sauce, and the remaining mozzarella slices.

Bake covered with foil for 60 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until cheese is melted, about 5 additional minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Spoon warm sauce over each piece, dust with chopped basil, and serve.

Serves 8.

Helpful hints:

• Make sure sauce is thoroughly cooled, if not chilled, when assembling casserole.
• If you make the dish the night before, take out of fridge for 30 minutes prior to baking.
• When layering lasagna, spread ingredients to edges to seal in pasta during baking.
• Sausage may be replaced with 2 cups of fresh, uncooked, chopped spinach for a delicious, vegetarian alternative.

Email this article!

Gastronomy: Tomato Basil Vodka Cream Sauce

My sister called me last week to borrow my Tomato Basil Vodka Cream Sauce recipe. I hadn't made this dish in a while and it wasn't until she called that I remembered how very much I love it. Autumn is the perfect time to make this dish: The basil is still growing, but the days are getting shorter and chillier. Although this sauce is incredibly easy to make, it's also richly satisfying and a wonderful way to ring in those crisp, fall evenings. Enjoy with a glass of Chianti, a garden salad, and your family!

Tomato Basil Vodka Cream Sauce

Olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 handfuls of fresh basil, chopped
1 T dry oregano
5 16 oz cans tomato sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
2 c parmesan cheese, grated
1 ½ c whipping cream
5 shots vodka
1 lb gnocchi or specialty pasta

In a large pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add garlic; sauté until garlic is light tan, approximately 1-2 minutes. Stir in basil, oregano, tomato sauce. Add a pinch of sea salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat 1 hour. Add 1 cup parmesan, cook 1 hour. Add vodka and cream, cook low 45 minutes.

For a simple tomato basil sauce, substitute vodka and cream with ½ cup wine. Add 1 ½ tablespoons crushed red pepper for an arrabiata.

Email this article!

Gastronomy: Bolognese, it's NO Beef-A-Roni

Growing up, I thought Bolognese equaled a can of tomato sauce plus a pound of semi-fatty grisly, ground beef. The only version that I was familiar with was not a far cry from canned Chef Boyardee Beef-a-Roni (my saliva production spikes just thinking about it). Somewhere in my culinary awakening (a journey that will continue for the rest of my life) I discovered that Bolognese (meaning Ragu) has many different interpretations—none of which are red, soupy tomato sauce paired with puréed ground beef.

This slow cooked dish is a layering of flavors that begins with finely chopped celery, onion, and carrots sautéed in olive oil. A combination of ground veal and beef (sometimes pork or sausage are used as well) is then added to the pan. Some people add milk, others cream, and depending on what region of Italy you are from, some argue for the addition of several other ingredients, including mushrooms, ricotta cheese, or chopped pancetta. But, no matter which ingredients you use, the dish is cooked ever-so-slowly until all the vegetable flavors and rich textured meats blend together making it other-worldly. Deglaze the pan with a heavy dowsing of wine and your palate will think it went to heaven and back.

Veal Sirloin Bolognese

1 lb ground veal
1 lb ground sirloin
2 15 oz cans whole tomatoes
2 15 oz cans chicken stock
1 c heavy cream
4 cloves garlic
1 medium yellow onion

3 large carrots
5 celery ribs
1 c white wine
1 lb linguine or tagliatelle
10 oz ricotta cheese

Parmigiano Reggiano (for top)

Olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper

Finely chop onions, celery, and carrots. Mince garlic. Place large pot over medium-low heat with olive oil; add onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté until veggies are soft, about 15 minutes. Add garlic, stirring constantly to avoid burning, about 5 more minutes. Add meat and a little bit of salt and fresh ground pepper. Cook until meat is browned and sweating liquids have dissipated. Deglaze with white wine and scrape the bits off the bottom of the pan. When the wine is completely evaporated, add drained tomatoes and chicken stock. Cook over medium heat 2-2 ½ hours. When liquids are almost gone, stir in cream and ricotta. Serve over pasta with a sprinkle of cheese and a glass of crisp white wine. Salute!

Serves 8.

Email this article!

Obsession: Easy "Special" Marinara

Last week, I was having dinner at Club Lucky—a family style, Italian restaurant that is close to my hood. They have a “special” marinara sauce that is amazing. I tried to remake a similar recipe at home that would be quick and tasty for a weeknight meal. It actually turned out really great. Here it is—yummy, easy, and it only takes about 30 minutes. Move over Rachel Ray…

Easy Special Marinara

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

1 28 oz can tomato sauce
1 handful fresh basil, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 t dried oregano
1/8 c Parmigianino Reggiano, grated
1 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T heavy cream
1/4 t fresh ground pepper
1 T sea salt

In a large pot, boil cold water and salt for pasta. In another medium size pan, heat olive oil over low heat. Add garlic and let sweat for about 2 minutes; add oregano, basil, and pepper, stir about 1 minute. Add sauce and cheese. Cook over medium heat for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream—cook another 5 minutes. Serve over pasta.

Email this article!