WESTCOMBE RICOTTA
• COW’S MILK WHEY
• FRESH
We started making our Somerset Ricotta in early 2011. While inspired by the Italian cheese, we’ve really worked hard to develop our own unique recipe and create a premium British Ricotta with a taste and texture all of its own.
Westcombe Ricotta is traditionally made using the rich whey left over from our Cheddar and Caerphilly makes. Naturally high in protein, it has a rounded ‘Westcombe’ flavour, with a pleasant saltiness and a unique soft-yet-set texture. It is one of the most versatile soft cheeses we know.
Ladling the hot ricotta curds unto their moulds.
Turning our left over whey into ricotta cheese.
Freshly ladled ricotta curds draining in their moulds.
Whey has been neglected for far too long in Britain. Most cheesemakers either give it away as animal feed (pigs absolutely love it) or worse, pour it down the drain. But not in Italy, where the thrifty ingenuity of cucina povera saw whey ‘re-cooked’ into beautiful ri-cotta cheese
So respect has to be paid to our Italian cheesemaking cousins for inspiring us to turn our rich Westcombe whey into a beautiful cheese in its own right. Tante Grazie!
To make our Somerset Ricotta, we heat the leftover whey from our Cheddar and Caerphilly makes, acidulating it to help the remaining proteins and fats flocculate and rise to the surface. We simply add salt to enhance the flavour.
When ready, we ladle the newly formed curds into individual basket moulds. The key is to be as gentle as possible here, and leave the curds to settle before chilling. This keeps the texture as light and delicate as possible.