Could anything be more satisfying than this simple lunch this time of year? Homemade ricotta, Olin-Fox Farms CSA tomatoes, and grilled bread. Yum Yum Yum! // alexandracooks.com

Oh, hi there. Just a quick little post here. I couldn’t resist sharing my lunch with all of you. I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty happy with it. And it took all of about 5 minutes to throw together. Of course, I did have some wonderful leftovers on hand: homemade ricotta (a little obsessed with this right now) and a loaf of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day… I had forgotten about this recipe. Yum.

Anyway, hope you’re all having a good week!

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Tomato Salad with Fresh Ricotta and Grilled Bread

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Ingredients

  • A couple of tomatoes
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • balsamic vinegar
  • kosher salt
  • fresh basil
  • homemade ricotta (recipe below)
  • a loaf of bread suitable for grilling

Instructions

  1. Cut tomatoes into nice chunks and place in a bowl. Season with salt. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Toss with fresh basil. Place in a bowl with a nice dollop of fresh ricotta on the side.
  2. Heat a grill or grill pan. Brush with olive oil. Grill bread until nice and toasted. Serve along side your salad and cheese.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
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A cheese cloth-lined sieve holding homemade ricotta.

Homemade Ricotta

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Description

Source: The Barefoot Contessa via Goop

Ingredients

  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons good white wine vinegar

Instructions

  1. Set a large sieve over a deep bowl. Dampen (I don’t dampen — I just line my sieve with cheesecloth) 2 layers of cheesecloth with water and line the sieve with the cheesecloth.
  2. Pour the milk and cream into a stainless steel or enameled pot. Stir in the salt. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for 1 minute until it curdles. It will separate into thick parts (the curds) and milky parts (the whey).
  3. Pour the mixture into a cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow it to drain into the bowl at room temperature for 20 to 25 minutes, occasionally discarding the liquid that collects in the bowl. The longer you let the mixture drain, the thicker the ricotta. (I tend to like mine on the thicker side but some prefer it moister.) Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The ricotta will keep refrigerated for 4 to 5 days.

Notes

You can use the whey to make bread and other things — don’t chuck it.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes