How exciting is it to make your own cheese? Not only it’s an amazing feeling but it might become super convenient if you are looking for a way to use milk you might be throwing away if not used.
Traditionally made in Italy from liquid whey which is in short the leftover of processed sheep milk used to make other cheeses, ricotta cheese was invented in some ways to use the full potential of a product and reduce waste. Today, different techniques are used and ricotta is often made from milk or milk/whey mixtures, even for some manufacturers dried whey protein powder is used.
Homemade Ricotta is fun to make, quite easy if you have the right measurements and takes no time at all.
And we love ricotta for so many reasons – light, spongy, creamy and unconditionally fresh, it is a fantastic ingredient to add straight-up to so many dishes; spinach ricotta ravioli, ricotta lemon pasta, ricotta pancake, ricotta cake or simply topped with honey on a toast. Delicious!
Also to make the most of it, it is possible to freeze your ricotta if you don’t plan to use the extras within the next few days.
4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2.5 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeeze (about 1 lemon and half)
1/4 tsp salt
Convenient to have: Cheesecloth and strainer
1. Over medium heat, place the milk and heavy cream together in a saucepan.
2. Stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, heat until the milk is close to boiling. You should see a lot of steam and the edges of the saucepan should become frothy when it’s ready. This should take only 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and salt. If you do not see any white curd chunks forming, add in more lemon juice, 1/2 tsp at a time.
4. Cover with a lid and let it rest for 10 minutes.
5. Double layer a cheesecloth (or thin kitchen towel works just fine) and place it into a strainer.
6. Pour the milk into it and let it drain.
7. Tie the ends of the cheesecloth together and hang it on your sink faucet. Let it drain for 10 minutes.
The more it drains, the firmer your ricotta will be. You can always help it by pressing gently with your hands, careful it’s hot.
Cheers Xx
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