Texas Tomato Toast With Roasted Garlic Spread And Homemade Ricotta Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush bread with oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake until golden around edges but still soft in centers, about 10 minutes. Spread with garlic confit and top with tomatoes. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt and parsley.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, heavy cream, vinegar and salt. Place the pan over a medium heat and slowly bring the milk mixture to a simmer. Simmer the milk mixture for 1 to 2 minutes, you will see curds begin to form.
• Line a mesh strainer with several layers of damp cheesecloth. Gently pour the curds and whey through into the strainer and let drain for 15 minutes. Gather the cheesecloth together and gently squeeze some of the excess liquid from the ricotta. Transfer the ricotta to a serving dish and drizzle with big fat finishing oil.
• Preheat the grill or broiler.
• While the ricotta is draining, slice the bread into 1/2-inch thick slices. Toast the bread on the grill or in the broiler on both sides. Swipe the garlic 2 times on each piece of toast and drizzle each toast with big fat finishing oil.
• Serve the ricotta and grilled bread. The ricotta is best served a little warm.

Steps:

• Prepare a sanitizing solution of 1 quart of water and 1 tablespoon of household bleach.
• Rinse a large stainless steel or enameled stockpot or soup pot with the sanitizing solution and pour the milk and cream into the pot. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring as necessary with a sanitized spoon so the milk doesn't scorch on the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the lemon juice. Continue stirring slowly until the milk curdles and white curds float to the top. Remove from the heat and cover. Wait for 5 minutes while the curds solidify slightly and become firmer.
• Rinse a colander and a large piece of muslin or several layers of cheesecloth in the sanitizing solution. Wring out the cloth to release the excess water. Line the colander with the cloth and set the colander in the sink or over a large bowl.
• Using a sanitized perforated spoon, gently ladle the curds into the colander. Let the whey drain for 30 minutes, or until the ricotta is still moist but fairly dry.
• After about 15 minutes, lift the edges of the cloth toward the center of the colander to loosen the cheese from the cloth and facilitate draining. If the ricotta is still too liquid and runny in texture after 30 minutes, gather the edges of the cloth together using 1 hand, wrap a piece of kitchen string around the gathered cloth to form a bag, and tie it closed. Hang the bag containing the cheese from the faucet or the handle of a kitchen cabinet door and allow the excess whey to drip from the bag into the sink or a bowl.
• If adding salt, transfer the ricotta to a sanitized bowl and stir in the salt. Place the ricotta in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Use within 5 days.

Steps:

• Line a large sieve with 2 layers of cheesecloth or paper towels and set it over a large bowl.
• Bring the milk, cream and 1 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a large nonreactive pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the lemon juice and vinegar and cook, stirring, until the mixture curdles, about 1 minute.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared sieve and let drain, discarding the liquid (whey) from the bowl as necessary, at least 5 minutes or up to 30 minutes for thicker cheese. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Crostini Photograph by Kang Kim
• How-To Photographs by Ben Goldstein/Studio D.

Steps:

• Set a fine-mesh sieve over a deep bowl. Dampen 2 pieces of cheesecloth with water and line the sieve with a double layer of the cheesecloth.
• Pour the milk and cream into a medium stainless-steel or enameled pot, such as Le Creuset, and stir in the salt. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and pour in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for one minute, until it curdles. It will separate into thick parts (the curds) and milky parts (the whey).
• Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow it to drain into the bowl at room temperature for 20 minutes (for soft ricotta) to 25 minutes (for firmer ricotta), occasionally discarding the liquid that collects in the bowl. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining liquid. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• The ricotta will keep, refrigerated, for 4 to 5 days.

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Arrange tomatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and season with salt. Broil tomatoes until tender and beginning to burst, 4-5 minutes. Gently smash tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
• Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until light golden, 30-60 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley and 1/2 tsp. salt.
• Brush toasts with garlic butter and top with smashed tomatoes. Serve hot.