process for ricotta salata

[patsalvaggio]

i am starting to get into cheesemaking and am currently working on plans to set up a cave in my cool basement.  i am trying to find some info on making ricotta salata.  i found a few pages that gave me a very general outline of what it is and how it looks when you age it to about the consistency of feta, but i have seen pictures of ricottas aged until they are harder than that and grateable.  has anyone ever tried this, and how would i go about trying this out.
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thanks

[Cheese Head]

Hi Pat & welcome to the forum.

I haven't made Ricotta Salata for grating on salads etc but here is a post of someone that has.

FYI here's a picture of Ricotta Stagionato (Aged Ricotta).

[lastcallforcorn]

hi pat and john,

new to forum-- hello!

i'm revisiting my cheese making attempts from a year ago, starting this time with my first ricotta salata. i'm using ricki carroll's recipe, and read the thread posted above from saycheese's lavender salted one-- thanks for posting, very helpful! i'm still fuzzy on one detail, though-- after a week in the fridge, being salted and turned, RC says to "age the cheese for 2-4 weeks." my question is, does it spend all that time in the fridge, or should i move it to an aging spot in the basement?

thanks so much!
angela

[zenith1]

Hi Angela, that depends on the temp of your cave. This one should be aged at a cool temperature, say around 45-50 degrees. That is an interesting user name, care to share?

[DeejayDebi]

Hello Pat welcome to the forum.

[lastcallforcorn]

thanks zenith!

i should know by now what the temp is in my basement, but i don't. if it's within the range you say, should i age my ricotta salata there? if not, in the fridge? and, bigger question, in what sort of mechanism/container do i keep it safe from critters in the basement? (not that i've seen any, but then i haven't kept tempting food there, either.)

i'm more than happy with trial and error, i'd just like to do the most right things that i can and learn from those, ya know?

my user name comes from my chasing what's local and in season! big time locavore, i am, and DIY more and more.

angela

[FarmerJd]

Welcome to the forum, Angela. I am a DIY myself.

[zenith1]

Angela-regular refrigerators tend to be to cold for the proper aging of cheese. Most refrigerators are in the mid to high 30's range, way to cold for cheese. I would use your basement, and see if you can find a Rubbermaid or similar type plastic container with lid that is ~ 4-5 times the volume of the cheese that you are going to be aging. You should be able to find something pretty inexpensive.

[DeejayDebi]

Welcome Angela I must have missed  you earlier.

[lastcallforcorn]

great information-- thank you so much! can't wait to get started.

and thank you all also for the welcome.