I love ricotta, I love making my own anything from scratch, but let's be practical. It's not likely I'll get my hands on some whey, so here's the next best thing. Thanks to Erica Demane, I can! Oh, and by the way, it's just as lovely!


To make about a pound of ricotta:

2 quarts whole milk
1 quart goat's milk (or a third quart of whole milk)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup lemon juice, about 1 large lemon's worth

Pour the milk into a large saucepan. Add the sea salt and stir to blend it into the milk (the salt is very important for bringing out the flavor in the finished ricotta). Bring to a very low boil over medium heat. Add the lemon juice and stir briefly to blend. Bring back to a very low boil and cook about a minute. You will start to see little white particles coagulate on the surface. This means the curds are starting to form. Don't let the milk cook any longer than about a minute or you may wind up with hard, dry curds instead of the soft, creamy texture you are after. Remove the pot from the heat, and cover. Let the ricotta sit for about 20 minutes untouched. This will allow bigger, more substantial curds to form.

Line a colander or a tightly woven wicker basket with cheesecloth or a thin cotton cloth like a piece of bed sheet. Gently pour the ricotta into the cloth, being careful not to break up the curds too much (the best approach is to tilt the pot against the colander or basket right up at the rim; free-fall pouring may be too violent). Let this drain, unrefrigerated, for about an hour. You will now have a rather moist ricotta, the way I like it. If you prefer it drier, you can tie and hang the cheese cloth over the sink or over a bowl so the ricotta can drain more thoroughly. The ricotta is ready to use. You may refrigerate it, but it will stay really fresh and sweet only for about two days. If you plan on baking with the ricotta, drain it well.

Cross posted here.

Makes 1 x 450g jar, enough for pasta for 6-8 people

Preparation time: 10 minutes in a processor, 30 minutes by hand

Ingredients
4 packs basil, or 1 large basil plant, leaves only
25g pine kernels
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp granular sea salt
50g freshly grated Parmesan
50g freshly grated Pecorino
100-200ml extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
Wash and dry the basil leaves. Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat and toast the pine kernels lightly for 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

If you're using a mortar, pound the garlic with the salt to make a soft mush. Pound in the pine nuts, then work in the basil leaves, 2-3 at a time, with a circular movement of the pestle, until all is reduced to a silky paste. (The mixture can be frozen at this point). Work in the cheeses, then beat in the olive oil with a wooden spoon until you have a thick, dense sauce. Add more or less oil depending on the texture you like.

If you're using a processor, drop all the ingredients in and blitz to a luscious green sauce.

To serve, cook a pasta of your choice according to packet instructions. Before dressing the pasta, dilute the pesto with a tablespoonful of pasta cooking water.

To store the pesto, pour into a jar, float a layer of olive oil on top, cover and refrigerate for up to a week.

My favourite way to eat pesto is freshly made and on linguini. I sometimes cook some penne or fusilli and toss in cold leftover chicken meat and pesto for a quick pasta salad. It makes for quick and nutritious lunch.

Buon Appetito!

My husband has been spending almost every night in a recliner in our living room with the Punkin. Why? Because she is teething and I am spent. I don't even have to ask, he volunteers. He mutters reproachments at our baby girl in a cooing tone, she wriggles and giggles in his arms as they head to the darkened living room where they spend most of the night together. It's clear that Punkin wants her Daddy. How do I know this? Allow me for a moment to rewrite the Tao of Motherhood.

Over the years I have had numerous requests for a love spell.
I always give out the same one. It has been published on a number of websites and witchcraft newsletters.


I have only one thing to say about it:


IT WORKS.

Found this link over here where Mr.Flea is featuring what may be the forerunner of the Italian meatball recipe.

The following confirms that my love of mussels is hard-coded.
Below is an antique Roman recipe. I can guess pretty much how each recipe evolved into the Italian recipes I know and love.



Buon Appetito!

*sigh*... I'm going to miss my kitchen.

We had it renovated when we bought the place. I love it. Especially my gas range --that I'm taking with me. I am curious to see what my next one looks like.

Our house has been on the market 7 days today. It's clean, it's tidy, it's almost entirely uncluttered! I feel calm for the first time in a long time.

I suspect that my little Punkin is in fact my late mother-in-law reincarnated. Nothing I do is good enough, she's always criticizing me and she can only be placated by her precious son Daddy.

I'm baking my late mother-in-law's favourite: marzipan cake. This will be the indicator.

MARZIPAN CAKE
Yield:8


1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup marzipan
6 eggs
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp icing sugar, sifted, for dusting


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350� F, butter and flour a 8-inch cake pan (or springform pan) and line bottom with parchment paper. With electric beaters, cream butter and sugar together. Cut marzipan into chunks and beat into butter mixture (if marzipan is firm, soften in microwave for 30 seconds on high) until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and stir in lemon zest and extracts. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to marzipan mixture and blend until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a plate to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar.

Marzipan cake will keep up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Yield: 1 8-inch cake. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Ruby used to sniff and place her ear upon my pregnant belly, daily during both pregnancies. We'd joke about it and say: "Paging Dr. Puppy".



I suppose this makes me the bitch in question.



Which is why Ruby looked hurt when we freaked out, and no amount of laying the smackdown discipline on her curbs the behaviour. Yes, it would have behooved us to know this. Ew.
I suspected something like this, but only now have I confirmed it. We thought she thought it was some kind of doggie delicacy. Y'know what that makes us? Disgusting.
Boy do I feel stoopid.

Funny how every now and then a friend or relative will ask me:

"Are you still doing that?" in a tone that implies I've put it aside like a hobby I've lost interest in, or like it was a fad or a trend I was into.

This peeves me. I am not still doing Reiki, I am however, still a Reiki Master. I use this discipline daily, it is part of me.



What is Reiki, you ask? Read more.

It's cold and damp out. Here's a little comfort for the tummy. I'll be serving it with warmed leftover BBQ chicken, cheese and crusty bread.