Ricotta Cheese

Someone kindly gave us an Italian Cheese Kit. It has ingredients (not the milk obviously) and recipes for Ricotta, Mascapone and Mozzarella. I made the Ricotta and have then gone on and made a Ricotta Salata which is Ricotta that has been pressed and aged a little bit.

I will make the mascarpone and mozzarella soon. Exciting!

I used the ricotta in a very nice cannelloni made with our ham and ricotta mixed with some chopped up tomatoes and fried onions and water cress. Topped with white sauce and a little cheddar.

We had some of it that had been further salted and left out overnight with some ham and home made bread for lunch (also homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream - on a different piece of bread clearly).

Ricotta is simple to make and doesn't take any special equipment. The recipe is here.
You can mix in salt and eat straight away or let it drain a bit more for a more solid cheese.
You can then salt some more, press and age a bit also (Ricotta salata).