![]() Accordingly, ricotta production requires large volumes of input milk. Whey itself comprises less than 1% of total milk protein, by weight. Whey proteins are kinds of the many milk proteins. Today, metal milk boilers are used, but production methods have changed little since ancient times. Ĭeramic milk boilers were still used by Apennine herders to make ricotta in the 19th century AD. Even so, evidence from paintings and literature indicates that ricotta was known and likely eaten by Roman aristocrats, as well. Ricotta was most likely consumed by the herders who made it. A likely reason is that ricotta was not profitable because its very short shelf life did not allow distribution to urban markets. They described the production of rennet-coagulated cheese, but did not write about milk boilers or acid-coagulated cheese. The ancient Romans made ricotta, but writers on agriculture, such as Cato the Elder, Marcus Terentius Varro, and Columella, do not mention it. Cheesemakers then started using a new recipe, which used a mixture of whey and milk to make the traditional ricotta as it is known today. The increased production of rennet-coagulated cheese led to a large supply of sweet whey as a byproduct. Unlike the fresh acid-coagulated cheese, aged rennet-coagulated cheese could be preserved for much longer. Cheese graters were also commonly used in ancient Roman kitchens. Bronze cheese graters found in the graves of the Etruscan elite prove that hard-grating cheeses were popular with the aristocracy. The production of rennet-coagulated cheese, though, overtook the production of fresh whole-milk cheeses during the first millennium BC. The fresh acid-coagulated cheeses produced with these boilers were probably made with whole milk. These were designed to boil milk at high temperatures and prevent the milk from boiling over. In the second millennium BC, ceramic vessels called milk boilers started to appear frequently and were apparently unique to the peninsula. The production of ricotta in the Italian peninsula dates back to the Bronze Age. However, ricotta is also made in aged varieties which are preservable for much longer. In this form, it is somewhat similar in texture to some fresh cheese variants, though considerably lighter. The fat content varies depending on the milk used. Ricotta curds are creamy white in appearance, and slightly sweet in taste. Once cooled, it is separated by passing the liquid through a fine cloth, leaving the curd behind. The combination of low pH and high temperature denatures the protein and causes it to flocculate, forming a fine curd. Then the acidified whey is heated to near boiling. Ricotta (literally meaning "recooked", "refined") protein can be harvested if the whey is first allowed to become more acidic by additional fermentation (by letting it sit for 12–24 hours at room temperature). Like other whey cheeses, it is made by coagulating the proteins that remain after the casein has been used to make cheese, notably albumin and globulin. ![]() Ricotta ( Italian pronunciation: ) is an Italian whey cheese made from sheep, cow, goat, or Italian water buffalo milk whey left over from the production of other cheeses. Sheep, cows, goats, or Italian water buffaloĭependent on variety, fresh soft to aged semisoft JSTOR ( May 2012) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message).Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. This article needs additional citations for verification.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |