Why put egg in ricotta cheese in lasagna?
In this brief article, we will answer the question why put egg in ricotta cheese in lasagna. We will also explain how to put eggs in ricotta cheese and if it is okay to put egg in lasagna.
Why put egg in ricotta cheese in lasagna?
Adding egg in ricotta cheese in lasagna helps in binding the cheese with lasagna so it does not ooze out of the casserole layers.
What is ricotta cheese:
Ricotta cheese is an Italian cheese that is made from the whey of sheep, cow, goat and Italian buffalo’s milk. It is obtained from the leftover whey after the processing of cheese. It is made by coagulation of proteins like albumin and globulin
Ingredients of lasagna:
Lasagna is made of some particular ingredients, if the ingredients are changed the taste and texture will change. As it is a layered dish, the ingredients used should remain at their place to give maximum taste. The common ingredients used in every lasagna dish are:
- To make lasagna noodles you need all purpose wheat flour or durum wheat flour, eggs, egg yolks, and salt
- The cheese used are ricotta cheese, mozzarella and parmesan for topping
- Minced meat and vegetables
- Tomato sauce
- Pasta sauce
- Butter for dazzling
Why ricotta cheese in lasagna?
Ricotta cheese is specifically added to lasagna because of its consistency, ridged texture and taste. It has the ability to maintain its shape and doesn’t seep in other ingredients. Any stuffed cheese can be used but ricotta cheese is preferred when making lasagna.
How to add egg in ricotta?
Ricotta cheese is somewhat stable as it is but upon heating it might melt just like other cheese. Eggs are natural emulsifiers and they bind with cheese when added. This bond between egg and cheese make it hard for cheese to melt and ooze out of lasagna
Ricotta cheese is made of proteins and does not have egg in it, egg is added in it. The method to add egg in ricotta cheese is as:
1. Take a large size colander and line it with a cheesecloth, set this colander in a large bowl.
2. Fill this colander with ricotta cheese and cool it down in a refrigerator for three to four hours.
3. In refrigeration the excess liquid in the cheese will drain off in the bowl
4. Remove the ricotta cheese from refrigeration and then remove it from colander
5. Add drained ricotta, egg, and oregano in a clean bowl of significant size
6. Mix all the ingredients of the bowl with the help of a mixing spoon
7. You have your egg and ricotta mixture, season it with salt and pepper if needed
Other FAQs about Ricotta Cheese which you may be interested in.
Can you use sour cream instead of ricotta?
Does ricotta cheese need to be drained?
How to make store-bought Ricotta cheese creamy?
What to do with leftover ricotta?
If you have leftover ricotta after filling all the layers of lasagna, you can store but not for a prolonged period. Another way to use leftover ricotta is using it as a filling for ravioli, tortellini, manicotti and large shell shaped pasta. You can add it in other dishes for consumption purposes.
You can use ricotta as an ingredient when making pasta stuffing. Another way to use ricotta is as the topping of many dishes. The topping of pasta, some soups and even pizza is done by ricotta cheese. It provides a creamy richness to the dish.
Ricotta is a substitute for cream cheese when making a toast, especially with black pepper topping. Adding a drizzle of honey and black pepper over ricotta enhances the creamy flavor. Ricotta dips can be made by adding some herbs and spices to it.
Creamier store-bought ricotta:
After adding egg in ricotta it becomes more consistent. Many people still struggle with the creamy texture of store-bought ricotta cheese after adding eggs. To make it creamier just add heated milk and vinegar or another acid.
You can also use buttermilk or lemon juice instead of vinegar to avoid the smell of vinegar in lasagna. After adding milk and these ingredients, drain the ricotta cheese.
Does egg go with lasagna?
Many people wonder if adding egg in ricotta cheese is a good choice and if it goes with lasagna. As egg is not a part of classic lasagna recipe there is a misunderstanding that it shouldn’t be added. But it is a completely wrong misconception. It is actually a good idea to add egg in ricotta cheese in lasagna.
Adding egg in ricotta cheese of lasagna makes the cheese more consistent. It avoids seeping of cheese into other ingredients which prevent the lasagna from being too watery. It also saves lasagna’s layer as they are and keeps the cheese in place.
Conclusion:
In this brief article, we have answered the question why put egg in ricotta cheese in lasagna. We have also explained how to put eggs in ricotta cheese and if it is okay to put egg in lasagna.
References:
https://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-ricotta-cheese
https://www.livestrong.com/article/500117-how-to-mix-egg-with-ricotta-for-lasagna/
