Substitutions

[lyndalou]

I have a couple of recipes that I'd like to try soon. One recipe calls for 1 tsp. saffron. Can I substitute something else if I can't find (or afford) the saffron? Also, another recipe calls for ricotta salata cheese. I haven't see it around here, is there a good substitute for that?
Would appreciate any help.
Lyndalou

 

[Angie]

I'm not sure on the saffron, but for the ricotta, cottage cheese is used a lot in place of it. I imagine it depends on what you making.

 

[jennyema]

Ricotta salata is entirely different than the ricotta that is like cottage cheese, so cottage cheese is really not a good sub.

It's ricotta that has been aged and salted, so it's a harder cheese that is often crumbled and used in salads. Feta would probably be an ok sub for it.

If you have a Whole Foods or Trader Joes nearby, they sometimes carry it.

Saffron can often be left out, unless it's a recipe focusing in saffron, like risotto milanese or something like that. A pinch of turmeric could be used for color.

 

[Angie]

Ricotta salata is entirely different than the ricotta that is like cottage cheese, so cottage cheese is really not a good sub.

It's ricotta that has been aged and salted, so it's a harder cheese that is often crumbled and used in salads. Feta would probably be an ok sub for it.

If you have a Whole Foods or Trader Joes nearby, they sometimes carry it.

Saffron can often be left out, unless it's a recipe focusing in saffron, like risotto milanese or something like that. A pinch of turmeric could be used for color.

Oh jeeze, I didn't even SEE the salata part! Ooop!

 

[jennyema]

No problem!! What part of Iowa are you in? I grew up in CR.

 

[ironchef]

Jenny gave good suggestions. Ricotta Salata and feta are similar and they are both sheep's milk cheese, although feta can be made from goat or even cow's milk. There are other cheeses that you can use to substitute (Queso Cotija for example) but feta will be by far the most common and most easy to find.

And I agree that tumeric would be the best substitution for saffron. It's commonly referred to as "poor man's saffron" anyway, although you can buy little packets of saffron threads for relatively cheap prices these days. The best place to buy tumeric would be at a place that sells bins of unpacked/bottles herbs and spices. That way if you only want to buy a few tablespoons of the spice you can do it.

 

[Angie]

No problem!! What part of Iowa are you in? I grew up in CR.

UmM...YEAH....I'm in Marion..which as you know, is CR! Small world!!

 

[Michael in FtW]

RE: saffron

Substitutes include safflower (aka: American saffron), turmeric, marigold blossoms, and annatto seeds. The problem is that none of these will give you the same flavor - just the yellow color.

 

[skilletlicker]

saffron substitution

I make achiote oil from annatto (achiote) seeds and keep it the ice box for rice.