I had the delightful treat to be in Judy Zeidler’s kitchen last week when she made fresh homemade ricotta chesse. Growing up, ricotta was a staple in our Sephardic kitchen.   Used in recipes such as our quajados and served with olive oil with home made bread…..ricotta, with it’s velvety smooth texture is a certain favorite. I was tickled when Judy told us she was making it for us!

With her permission, I’m printing her recipe today in hopes that you might include it in your Shavuot menu.

Judy’s Homemade Ricotta Cheese

1/2 gallon whole milk

1 cup cream

2 teaspoons salt

6 tablespoons lemon juice

Heat the milk, cream and salt over meadium heat until it is about to boil.

Add the lemon juice, stir a few times and when the mixture begins to curdle, remove from the heat.  Let curds rest for a minute or two.

Using a slotted spoon, skim the Ricotta curds from the whey and place them in a colander or wire sieve lined with cheesecloth.  Drain for 15 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature, with a drizzle of honey.

(Marcia’s note….it was delicious with a drizzle of honey.  At our house, we would likely drizzle with a bit of olive oil and perhaps a squeeze of lemon).

Try it and let us know how you enjoyed it!

Thank you to Judy Zeidler for this wonderful recipe.  Check out her book, ‘Italy Cooks,’ which has this and other wonderful recipes and stories from her travels in Italy, as well as her other creatively delightful cookbooks by visiting http://www.judyzeidler.com.

As we celebrate the receiving of the Torah, we share an array of dairy dishes….boyos, burekas, quajados, sutlach, cheeses of all sorts, (thus, Ricotta!)….and our friends share blintzes, cheese kugles, knishes, etc.  As mother’s milk (dairy) nourishes a body to grow;  so, too, Torah nourishes our souls.

Wishing you all a joyous and meaningful Shavuot….and delicious treats to go along with it!

~ Bendichas Manos