When making the farmer’s cheese (jebn baladi) of the previous post, a lot of whey is left; in order to make areesheh, a type of ricotta cheese, a quart of milk and some fresh lemon juice is added to the pot; the mixture is brought to a boil and, presto, curds appear; they are transferred to a glass bowl (over a colander lined with paper towels) and the cheese is ready.
I have made this cheese with a traditional Ramadan treat in mind: Atayef, a Lebanese-style pancake, which is filled with either cheese or walnuts or cream (ashta). More on these later…
Had the best areesheh inTyre last summer, made by some local folks, which I will track down next time I am in the neighborhood.
A simple and traditional way to enjoy areesheh, which is served at rural restaurants and cafés, is with a drizzle of local honey and some bread.
INGREDIENTS:
- Remaining whey from previous recipe
- 1 quart of whole milk
- 1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
- Optional: Salt or sugar or honey to serve
METHOD:
- Add to the remaining whey the quart of milk and the fresh lemon juice; bring to a boil.
- When the milk starts to curdle and develop big lumps of curds, remove them with a slotted spoon and drop into a sieve lined with paper towels over a glass bowl. Let the cheese drain for an hour or longer.
- Serve as is or salt or sweeten with a bit of sugar or honey.
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