Sicilian Homemade Cheese: Ricotta & Primosale

Sicilian Homemade Cheese: Ricotta & Primosale.
In this video, I'm excited to share my method for making ricotta and primosale, two traditional cheeses from the heart of sicilian cuisine. Using fresh milk, I'll guide you through the steps of how to make cheese. Learn how to make homemade ricotta cheese and primosale the Sicilian way, using just fresh milk, lemon, and a little salt. This easy Italian cheese recipe shows you step by step how to prepare ricotta — soft, creamy, and ready to enjoy in only a few minutes — and primosale, the first stage of pecorino, a firmer cheese that matures into something quite different. Together, ricotta and primosale represent the essence of Sicilian cucina povera: simple ingredients, no waste, and maximum flavour.

Along the way, I share family memories of eating warm ricotta in the Sicilian mountains, cost comparisons with shop-bought cheese, and tips for using the whey, whether in bread, soups, or even as fertiliser in the garden. If you enjoy Sicilian cooking, you may also like my other recipes featuring ricotta and cheese, linked in the description.

As promised in the video, I have prepared two downloadable PDFs for you:
• A collection of recipes from the channel where ricotta is used — including pasta, desserts, and other dishes.
• A short guide to the nutritional benefits and practical uses of whey, so you can make the most of every part of the process.
As promised in the video, I have prepared two downloadable PDFs for you:
• A collection of recipes from the channel where ricotta is used — including pasta, desserts, and other dishes.
• A short guide to the nutritional benefits and practical uses of whey, so you can make the most of every part of the process.

You will find both PDFs linked below.

RICOTTA RECIPE COLLECTION: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kozK...

WHEY ZERO WASTE GUIDE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BqHH...

Ingredients
4.6 litres / 8 pints fresh milk (cow’s milk if sheep’s milk not available)
Juice of 3 lemons
Pinch of salt

Method
Warm the milk almost to boiling.
Add lemon juice from 2 lemons, stir gently, and let the curds separate from the whey. Drain slowly into a mould to form the Primosale.

Re-cook the whey with extra milk and lemon to produce ricotta.
Salt and mature the Primosale; refrigerate the ricotta for immediate use.

Storage
Ricotta: store in the fridge and eat within 3 days.
Primosale: store in a cool, dry place; ready after about 10 days, firmer if matured longer.

If you try this recipe, let me know in the comments. I would love to hear your experiences.

Grazie for watching, and remember to subscribe to tortellinotime for more Sicilian and Italian cooking.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:16 Starting the milk
02:26 Adding lemon and forming curds
03:35 Separating cheese and whey
05:26 Making ricotta
07:44 Containers and draining tips
12:31 Memories of warm ricotta in Sicily
16:03 Salting and pressing Primosale
19:33 Weighing and cost breakdown
21:48 Storage tips and variations
23:38 Closing thoughts

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