Tomato-Fresh Ricotta Pie


 

JRPfeff

TVWBB Guru
My wife made up this Tomato-Fresh Ricotta Pie. Her recipe is something like this.

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1 partially baked pie shell (Bobbi used a 10" tart pan)

Filling:
1 recipe of homemade ricotta (see below)
2 eggs
1/2 container of Brennan's Mozzarella & Basil Cheese Spread (you can use a different cheese spread or 1 cup of shredded cheese)

Mix the eggs and cheese spread into the hot ricotta to melt and evenly distribute.

Toppings:
1 chopped garden fresh heirloom tomato (Bobbi used a Brandywine)
1/2 pound bacon, cooked until crisp then crumpled
Homemade croutons (Bobbi cooked these in the bacon grease
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)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Assembly & Baking:
Assemble ingredients in pie shell and bake in a 350 degree oven until warmed through, about 30 minutes.

That's how she did it. I'm sure your variation will be fabulous, too.

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

I quart whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 scant tsp coarse salt
2 TBSP white vinegar

Line a strainer with a double layer of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl.

Rinse a large saucepan with cold water (for easier cleanup). Pour milk and cream into saucepan and add the salt. Bring to simmer over medium heat; a skin may form on the surface. Continue to cook until you see bubbles all over the surface.

When the milk is simmering, turn off the heat and pour in the vinegar. Leave it alone for about 1 minute, then stir slowly and gently. The milk will start separating into curds and whey; you are looking for the whey to become clearish, which will take about 1 minute of gentle stirring.

Pour into strainer. Lift the strainer out of the bowl and pour out the whey from the bowl. Then set the strainer back in the bowl and let the cheese drain for 15 minutes.

The ricotta is now ready to use or serve.
 
Looks good. I would have never thought that making ricotta was that easy. I have since looked it up on the web and found that there are 2 different acids to use Lemon and vinegar, or one site showed to use buttermilk. do you find that the vinegar can be tasted in the finished product. I really can't wait to try this.
Thanks
john
 
John,

We don't taste the vinegar at all. We've used the fresh cheese as a spread on bread - no vinegar flavor, just really good.

My wife told me that she sometimes cranks up the heat at the end to get more curding.

Jim
 
is heavy cream 'whipping cream' or what? When a recipe calls for heavy cream I'll use half & half, whipping cream, or just plain milk since I'm never able to find anything labeled as heavy cream.
 
Clint,

That means whipping cream. Here in dairyland, they also market it as heavy cream. It gives an upscale aura to it.

jrp
 

 

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