Why did my ricotta cheese did not completely melt in the Alfredo?
Today I sauteed a quarter cup mushrooms in 3 tbsp butter and added 250ml cream. Everything was set for me to add the ricotta and finish the Alfredo, but it only partly melted. Beyond a certain point, there were some "cheese crumbs" that no amount of heat could dissolve, thus robbing me of a velvety textured Alfredo.
I have successfully made Alfredo with ricotta cheese before. Is there any reason as to why the ricotta did not completely melt? The ricotta package was only opened a few days, so it couldn't have gone bad.
Best Answer
Ricotta is not supposed to melt, or dissolve, or anything like that. It is made up of protein clumps. The only way it can appear very smooth is if the manufacturer created a cheese where the clumps have been made very tiny mechanically - because chemically, they are still clumps and stay that way after heating.
You said that you changed brands. There you have your explanation - your old brand must have been more finely "ground" than the new one, so you are noticing the clumps in the new one, while the ones in the old were too small to be noticed.
This effect works in parallel with the gums Batman mentioned.
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Why is my ricotta not melting?
When cheese is formed using acid, the proteins become heat resistant. In other words, the cheese doesn't melt. So ricotta falls in the same category as paneer, halloumi, queso blanco and other cheeses that can be heated without melting.Why is my cheese not melting in my pasta sauce?
Adding the sauce slowly, bit-by-bit, as you stir the liquid and pasta in your pot will make the cheese melt evenly and avoid clumping.Will ricotta cheese melt in a sauce?
Prepare the sauce from scratch for best flavour rather than buying a ready made one from the store. Then ricotta cheese is melted into the sauce to give a wonderful creamy richness.Fettuccine Alfredo: original recipe from the Alfredo alla Scrofa Restaurant in Rome
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Answer 2
Some ricotta uses gums and stabilizers (usually cheaper ricottas) whereas good ricottas are made with just milk and a bit of acid and a bit of salt. The stabilizers and gums allow the ricotta to hold water rather than proper draining done for better ricottas. The stabilized ricottas often leave a grainy texture after cooking (since the stabilizers don't hold up to heat).
Check the ingredients of your old brand versus a new brand. If your old one uses just milk, acid and salt versus your new one using gums and stabilizers, that could make the difference.
Aside: If you're short on good ricottas, cottage cheese (full fat) often is a good replacement depending on context.
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