Almond Ricotta

Preparation

1. Once soaked, rinse and drain the almonds thoroughly in a strainer under fresh tap water and blanch them so that their skin comes off easily.

TIP To blanch the almonds, fill a pot with water and bring it to boil. Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat and add the almonds. Let them soak for 1 minute and transfer them to an ice bath. The skin will be very easy to remove: just rub them one by one between your fingers.

2. Place the nuts in the jar of the blender along with the water and a pinch of salt.
3. Blend for about 60 seconds, until no pieces of almond remain. 
4. Place a nutmilk bag over a large bowl and pour the content of the blender inside. Close the bag tightly so the liquid doesn’t spill, and drain the milk by squeezing with your hands from the top downwards until there is just pulp left.

TIP Don’t discard the pulp! You can reuse it in many savory and sweet recipes. Blend it with dates, cacao powder, and superfoods and roll into protein balls or mix it with olive oil, lemon juice, herbs and spices to make a delicious “cream-cheese” spread.

5. Transfer the almond milk to a pot and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally and very gently until the mixture reaches 90 ºC (194 ºF). It’s very important not to over-stir the mixture and make sure the milk never reaches a boil.
6. After about 10 minutes, you will see that a layer of foam has begun to form on the surface. Don’t stir anymore and wait for the thermometer to reach 90 ºC (194 ºF). Then turn off the heat and add the vinegar together with the lemon peel. Stir briefly to incorporate the vinegar (don’t stir too much or you will prevent the milk from curdling) and allow the mixture to sit for about 1 hour, until it starts to curdle. 
7. Once the mixture has cooled down to room temperature and it looks like curdled milk, fit a nut-milk bag into a tall container (or line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth). Remove the lemon peel and pour the mixture into the bag or cheesecloth.

TIP Secure the bag with tweezers or with a rubber band, so that it holds the weight of the ricotta. Make sure the bag doesn’t come in contact with the liquid dripping into the container.

8. Let the curds drain for at least 2-3 hours (until most liquid has drained away), preferably in the fridge. 

TIP Don’t discard the whey! You can use it to enrich soups and stews, soak grains, cook pasta or rice, or as a substitute in any baking recipe that calls for water. 

9. Transfer the content of the bag into a special ricotta mold, gently pressing down with a spoon. Use a small offset spatula to flatten the surface and allow the mold to rest in the fridge overnight before unmolding the ricotta. 
10. The ricotta will keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.