Making your own ricotta may seem like a major culinary challenge, but once you find out just how easy it is, you'll never want to buy it from a store again. It's very versatile and can be used to make a delicious breakfast when drizzled with honey and topped with crumbled nuts. It makes a perfect light lunch when spread on whole wheat toast and topped with smoked salmon and sliced avocado. Or, as in this case, it makes an appetizer that always gets a thumbs up whenever I prepare it for dinner. 

Ricotta Crostini Recipe

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Serves 6-10

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Ingredients

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For the Ricotta

• 2 Containers of Good Quality Whole Milk

• ¼ Cup Distilled White Vinegar

• ¼ Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

• Zest of 2 Lemons

• Freshly Ground Black Pepper (to taste)

• Honey (to drizzle)

• 1 Pinch Salt

For the Crostini

• 1 French Baguette (cut into thin slices)

• 1 Pinch Salt

• 1 Pinch Pepper

• ½ Cup Olive Oil

• You will also need a colander, some twine and two layers of cheese cloth

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Instructions

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For the Ricotta

1. Place the milk in a large saucepan and heat gently until it reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit. You should see small bubbles begin to appear at the edges where the milk meets the pan.

2. Add the distilled white vinegar and stir once.

3. After about five minutes, you should see the curds and whey of the milk begin to separate very clearly.

4. Line a colander with a double layer of cheese cloth and place over a bowl to catch excess whey.

5. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and using a strainer, remove the curds to the colander.

6. You can retain the whey for baking or discard it.

7. Allow the curds to drain for five minutes and then tie up the cheese cloth into a parcel using the twine.

8. You will need to hang the curds in the cheese cloth for at least three hours. I suspend mine from a faucet over a sink. The longer you hang this, the firmer the cheese will become. For this recipe, we want it to remain quite soft and creamy.

9. After about three hours, remove the cheese from the cheese cloth and place in a clean bowl.

10. Stir in enough heavy cream until the cheese reaches a creamy spreadable consistency.

11. Stir in a pinch of salt and black pepper.

12. Stir in the grated lemon zest.

13. Chill until ready to use.

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For the Crostini

1. Combine the olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl.

2. Toss the baguette slices in the mixture until both sides are completely coated.

3. Lay the baguette slices on a baking tray and bake for five minutes on each site at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until they are golden brown and crunchy.

To Serve

1. Spread each crostini with a teaspoon full of the ricotta.

2. Lay all of the crostini on a platter and crack a little black pepper on top of each.

3. Drizzle the plate with honey.

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