Ricotta and spätzle recipes.

Madison.

Ask for recipes, and I'll post them.¹ Melissa asked, so here are a few that I developed for last night's dinner.

Spiced ricotta
Makes about a pint. Adapted from a recipe by Deborah Madison.

You can also make this recipe with skim milk, but whole milk definitely tastes better. Infusing the milk with spices gives the ricotta a subtle flavor, as the whey carries away a lot of it. If you'd like something more intense, flavor after the fact, to taste. You can also save the whey for use in baking.

Ingredients

• ½ gallon whole milk
  
• 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks
  
• 6 whole cloves
  
• 10 whole black peppercorns
  
• 3-4 Tbsp. vinegar
  
• ½ tsp. salt

Directions

1. Add the milk and spices to a large saucepan. Heat slowly to 160°F, then cover and remove from the heat. Allow to steep for 30 minutes, then remove the spices.
   
   
2. Add 3 tablespoons of vinegar to the milk. Slowly heat until 180°F, then reduce heat to lowest level possible and allow to rest for 30 minutes. If possible, keep temperature at about 180°F.
   
   
3. At this point, the milk solids should have separated from the whey, which should be a pale green color. If this is not the case, add another tablespoon of vinegar and gently stir.
   
   
4. Carefully ladle the curds into a colander lined with several layers of cheesecloth. Once the majority of the whey has drained away, mix in the salt. The ricotta is now ready to be used; you can also hang the cheesecloth bundle until all of the liquid has drained away for a firmer cheese.
   
   
5. For individual servings, line a mini-muffin pan with plastic wrap and spoon in the still-warm and -soft ricotta. Refrigerate to allow them to firm into shape.

Winter squash spätzle
Makes five or six servings. Adapted from The Joy of Cooking.

These little dumplings will have a subtle squash/pumpkin flavor; it depends in part on what sort of winter squash you have available. To best show off the flavor, simply toss the finished spätzle in a skillet with some metled butter until just lightly browned.

Note: After roasting the squash, pass the flesh through a potato ricer to smooth out the texture. Then you can intensify the flavor by tossing in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly to evaporate moisture without burning.

Ingredients

• ¾ c. roasted squash puree (see note above)
  
• 1¼ c. all-purpose flour
  
• ½ tsp. baking powder
  
• 1 tsp. salt
  
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• ½ c. milk

Directions

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg until well combined. Stir in the squash puree to make a uniform paste.
   
   
2. In a separate container, beat the eggs with the milk until smooth. Add this to the dry ingredients and beat with a spoon to create a smooth, elastic batter.
   
   
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Using a spätzle maker, colander or potato ricer, drop the batter into the water in small bits. The spätzle will float the surface and swell slightly; at this point, they are done. Remove with a slotted spoon.

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¹Those that I actually have recipes for, that is. Most of the time, I'm just winging it, and as a result have no idea how to convey ingredients quantities to someone else.