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To help demystify cooking with Herbes de Provence, we turned to our friend Sara Moulton, who shared a wonderful recipe with us using herbs from the garden. Her recipe for Herbed Homade Ricotta uses fresh Herbes de Provence rather than the dried version. She served her ricotta on slices of grilled bread. It was simple and delicious...and the addition of the fresh herbs from the garden made it even more irresistible.
Homemade ricotta is creamier and has more flavor than it's storebought cousin. And it's really easy to make. Once you try this recipe we guarantee you'll think twice before buying the ready-made cheese in the store.
1 quart whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbes de Provence or to taste
Grilled baguette slices as an accompaniment*
1. Line a strainer with dampened paper towels and place the strainer over a bowl. Slowly bring the milk, cream, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a rolling boil in a heavy 4-quart pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir the lemon juice into the milk mixture; reduce the heat to low; simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture curdles, about 2 minutes. Pour the mixture into the paper towel lined strainer and let it drain 10 to 15 minutes; discard the liquid. Add the herbs to the ricotta along with salt and pepper to taste. Serves with the grilled bread slices.
*note: to make the grilled bread slices cut a baguette crosswise ½-inch thick. Brush lightly with olive oil on both sides and grill on medium heat until golden on both sides. Transfer to a platter and rub with a cut clove of garlic and sprinkle with salt while still hot.
Makes about 1 cup
Special Thanks:
Sara Moulton, Executive Chef Gourmet Magazine, former Food Network TV host and Cookbook Author including the upcoming, "Sara's Everyday Family Dinners," Simon and Schuster, April 2010
www.saramoulton.com