Making Italian Basket Cheese, Ricotta and Ricotta Salata

Most Italian-Americans have heard of basket cheese, that light, soft, fresh cheese (similar to ricotta) sold in Italian specialty stores every Easter which is used to make the traditional pizzagaina or pastiera di grano (wheat grain pie) recipes. In the U.S. it is rarely seen year-round and is mostly used as an ingredient. In Italy, basket cheese is is called formaggio fresca (fresh cheese) and is readily available all year long for use as both recipe ingredient and as a table cheese, just as ricotta is eaten, but with a less salty and milder flavor. 

Basket Cheese Ingredients

1 gallon whole milk (or, if you can find some, use goat's milk)
1/4 teaspoon rennet
1/4 teaspoon salt (basket cheese is less salty than ricotta)

You will need:

• Cake Decorator's spatula
• Rennet
• Large Whisk
• Cheese basket

Directions

1. Pour the milk into a large pot on medium heat, stir constantly to bring it 95 F, then turn off the heat.
2. Add the rennet and mix well, turning only in one direction for 30 seconds, then use a large spatula as a brake, placing it vertically into one side of the milk to stop its movement.
3. Let stand for 30 minutes without any movement. The milk will start to solidify due to the curdling effect of the rennet.
4. With a long chef's knife or large metal cake decorating spatula (long enough to reach the bottom of the pot), gently cut the curd in a vertical grid pattern 2" apart. Then slice at a low angle to cut the vertical columns of curd into rough cubes.
5. Allow to rest for 30 minutes, then using a large whisk, gently break the curd, into small bean-sized pieces. Let rest for 1 hour.
6. After resting, the cheese curds will have separated from the whey. Separate the cheese from the whey, press it lightly with your hands so that the bulk of the liquid comes out and put the cheese in a plastic cheese basket (in Italian, fuscelle).  If you would like to make ricotta after this recipe, save the whey in the pot!
7. Place the basket onto a shallow plate, then cover the basket with a weight (small pot, soup can, etc.) allowing to dry for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

You can now use your basket cheese fresh as an ingredient in recipes, such as the traditional Easter pizzagaina. If you want to eat it fresh (the same day is best) you can turn the baskets upside down onto a serving plate and remove the basket. This is a mild cheese, but if you like you can sprinkle with a little sea salt or fresh ground pepper. You can also spread it on bread or crostata and drizzle with honey or balsamic and serve with with figs or fresh berries. Although it should be eaten the day it's made, you can keep it for several days by keeping the basket in a plastic container along with with an inch of milk.

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Making Ricotta from the Leftover, Fresh Whey

Although my wife Lisa's ricotta recipe is great, technically, it's not a true ricotta made from whey. Making true ricotta (re-cooked, or cooked twice) is incredibly simple once you have whey leftover from cheese-making using rennet. The whey has to be fresh from the cheese-making process above.

1. Bring your pot of whey nearly to a boil (it needs to be around 195F). The ricotta will begin to surface.
2. Using a slotted spoon, collect the ricotta and place it into a cheese basket (or a cheesecloth). Don't press it if you want it to be fluffy and light. Drain over a grid for 3 hours, then refrigerate.  If you want it a bit firmer and drier, refrigerate overnight with a weight on top.
   

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Making Ricotta Salata

Ricotta salata is basically a firm, saltier version of ricotta cheese that is very  similar to feta. While feta is made with rennet, ricotta salata is made from the whey leftover from cheese-making, just as normal ricotta is made. Ricotta salata needs more salt than normal ricotta and is pressed it to release any extra moisture. You need a fine mesh cheesecloth or butter muslin. 

1. Make the ricotta as above from your whey, but add 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt to the whey before heating.
2. Once you gather your ricotta, lightly salt again with another 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt.
3. Line your cheese basket with the cheese cloth/muslin, add your ricotta into the mold, then fold over the top neatly.
4. Place a heavy, flat weight on top of the ricotta to press out the moisture. A soup can will work well. Make sure the bottom is elevated to drain.
   
5. Press overnight in the refrigerator, halfway through, flipping it over.
6. The next day, remove from the refrigerator and place on a counter to continue draining/drying in a cool, dry place, then press this time with a heavier weight for at least 5-8 hours, flipping it over every couple of hours. You want to dry out the ricotta until it is firm.
   
7. Lightly salt all sides of the cheese, then place the cheese round onto an upturned cheese basket (the bottom needs to breathe). Place your cheese and upturned basket into a larger storage container and refrigerate. If any more whey collects at the bottom, drain and dry each day.
   
8. For the next 5 days, continue lightly salting on all sides and flipping every other day.
9. When very firm, pat your finished ricotta salata dry and wrap in parchment paper or cheese paper and store in your refrigerator.

Ricotta salata is beautifully paired with sliced apples, pears, fresh figs or crumbled on pizza, pasta or salads. 

Buon apetitto!

--Jerry Finzi

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