Can Ricotta Be Frozen? What You Should Know
How do you keep ricotta cheese? Have you ever frozen the cheese? The ricotta cheese is very expensive. If you love buying the cheese in large quantities, it is important to know how you can keep it fresh for a long time. This will ensure that the food does not go to waste. Can ricotta be frozen? Continue reading to get the right answer.
More...
The ricotta cheese can be used to prepare other foods like the lasagna. The left over should be kept safely for future use.
The ricotta cannot be refrigerated for more than two weeks. It will go bad. This is because it is versatile.
So, can you freeze your ricotta? The answer is yes. If it is frozen correctly, it can stay fresh for a long time.
The following information will help you on how to keep the ricotta cheese fresh for a long time.
What Is Ricotta Cheese?
This is the by-product that appears in form of a foamy and watery substance. This appears when the provolone and mozzarella cheese are made. The watery substance is collected and cooked again. After cooking, it is drained to be a creamy curd which is called the ricotta cheese. The ricotta looks like the cottage cheese. The consistency is delicate and has more calcium.
The Uses Of Ricotta
The cheese is used to prepare pasta, meatballs, and other recipes. You can prepare manicotti, tortellini, ravioli, cheesecakes, tarts, cookies, muffins and others recipes that call for the ricotta cheese.
The ricotta cheese can be accompanied with any fruit to make it a tasty topping on Italian bread, bagels, and sweet rolls. It can be used in cold and hot salads or dips. It is good for your health. It is available in in most stores.The taste is slightly sweet and mild.
This is because it is made of stabilizers. The texture is moist and firm with granules that are delicate.
How To Make The Ricotta Cheese?
It is easier and simple to make the ricotta cheese. You only need milk and lemon juice. With these ingredients, you can make a creamy fresh homemade ricotta.
Tips that you can use when freezing the ricotta cheese
- The ricotta cheese can be frozen for more than three months if it is kept well. The following steps can be used when freezing the cheese.
- Ensure that before you store the ricotta cheese, it is fresh. It may not last long if it is near or past the expiry date.
- The package can be frozen before it is opened.
- Seal the package in a freezer bag tightly, if you want to keep it for more than thirty days.
- If you have leftover ricotta cheese, place it in freezer bags. Get all the air out of the bags before you seal them tightly.
- If you are using containers to keep the ricotta, place your containers in in freezer bags that are heavy duty. This will prevent them from freezer burns.
- If there is any whey in the container, drain it before you freeze. This is because it will make the cheese sour.
- Keep the freezer at or below 0 degrees F. Temperature is very important. Ensure that you monitor it all the time.
- The bags should be labeled correctly.
Freezing the ricotta will change its taste and texture. It will also lose its flavor and moisture. But, it will still work well in different recipes or dishes like soups, lasagna, sauces, and others.
When it is taken out of the freezer, it may take about 24 hours to thaw. Some liquid may be noticed at the top. Mix the liquid back using a large spoon or a mixer. If the cheese is too soupy, drain some of the liquid.
How To Know That The Ricotta Cheese Has Gone Bad?
If the cheese turn yellow and the flavor is not so good, the cheese may be bad. It should be thrown away.
How To Freeze The Ricotta Cheese Dishes?
The dishes that contain the ricotta cheese can be frozen too. This will give better results than freezing the cheese alone. The following tips will help you to keep the dishes better in the freezer.
If it is lasagna, cut it into large pieces.
Wrap the pieces separately using a wax paper or plastic wrap.
Place the wrapped pieces in freezer bags separately.
The method will ensure that your dish is readily available when you need it.
Other dishes include tortellini, cannelloni, ricotta pie, and others.
The food can be thawed in the fridge. When thawed on the counter, bacteria may grow. You can add a small amount of water before the food is reheated.
Ricotta cheese can be frozen. But this should be used as the last option. The above tips will help you to do it perfectly.
Have you ever frozen the ricotta cheese? Feel free to share with us what you think or experience in the comment section.
