Is anybody else sad about saying bye to Summer fruit and veggies? God knows I love Fall but I’ll miss Summer produce really bad, especially tomatoes. Last weekend, we harvested the last tomatoes from our garden and I decided to make a warm ricotta, tomatoes and herb salad. As you might have guessed by now, I made the ricotta. If you never have made ricotta before, let me tell you, it’s one of the easiest cheeses to make and nothing beats homemade, and it’s even better if you can get fresh farm milk.
There is something amazing about combining these flavors, the sweetness of the tomatoes and the warmth of the ricotta, sets the mood for an incredible dinner to come. I also sprinkled it with herbs also from our garden, mint, oregano and basil which enhances the flavor even more. A drizzle of a good olive oil and crusty bread perfectly complements this salad. I know everybody moved on to apple pies and butternut squash soups but, this is a great salad to properly bid farewell to Summer.
Homemade Ricotta
1 quart whole milk
2 cup heavy cream
1/8 cup white vinegar
Pour the milk and cream in a heavy saucepan. Heat the milk almost to a boiling point (if you have a thermometer, temperature should be between 185˚F to 195˚F), stirring frequently. Turn the heat off and stir in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for 15 minutes or until it curdles. Pour the mixture into a cheesecloth, lined with a strainer and let it drain for about 20 minutes. You can drain it a little longer if you like it a bit thicker.
Once the ricotta is ready, arrange sliced tomatoes on a serving dish, add the ricotta, fresh herbs, a good drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve with bread.
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