Sauce – Why did the ricotta cheese did not completely melt in the Alfredo

alfredocheesedairyitalian-cuisinesauce

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.