Homemade Ricotta Cheese
By Andrea GearyPublished on August 20, 2013
Time
40 minutes, plus 2 hours chilling
Yield
Serves 16 (Makes about 2 pounds; 4 cups)
Ingredients
Before You Begin
For best results, don’t stir the milk too hard, and be very gentle with the curds once they form.
Instructions
- Line colander with butter muslin or triple layer of cheesecloth and place in sink. Combine lemon juice and vinegar in liquid measuring cup; set aside. Heat milk and salt in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring frequently with rubber spatula to prevent scorching, until milk registers 185 degrees.
- Remove pot from heat, slowly stir in lemon juice mixture until fully incorporated and mixture curdles, about 15 seconds. Let sit undisturbed until mixture fully separates into solid curds and translucent whey, 5 to 10 minutes. If curds do not fully separate and there is still milky whey in pot, stir in extra vinegar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and let sit another 2 to 3 minutes, until curds separate.
- Gently pour mixture into prepared colander. Let sit, undisturbed, until whey has drained from edges of cheese but center is still very moist, about 8 minutes. Working quickly, gently transfer cheese to large bowl, retaining as much whey in center of cheese as possible. Stir well to break up large curds and incorporate whey. Refrigerate ricotta until cold, about 2 hours. Stir cheese before using. Ricotta can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Time
40 minutes, plus 2 hours chillingYield
Serves 16 (Makes about 2 pounds; 4 cups)Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Creamy, milky, and luxuriously rich, fresh ricotta is a different universe from the grainy, clumpy supermarket stuff. All you need is milk, lemon juice, vinegar, a colander, and cheesecloth—and you can make it to just the texture you want. It works as well in a cheesecake as it does in your favorite lasagna recipe. For the most reliable results, use fresh homogenized and pasteurized milk here; do not use ultra-pasteurized or ultra-heat-treated (UHT or long-life) milk in this recipe, as it will not curdle properly.
Before You Begin
For best results, don’t stir the milk too hard, and be very gentle with the curds once they form.
Instructions
- Line colander with butter muslin or triple layer of cheesecloth and place in sink. Combine lemon juice and vinegar in liquid measuring cup; set aside. Heat milk and salt in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring frequently with rubber spatula to prevent scorching, until milk registers 185 degrees.
- Remove pot from heat, slowly stir in lemon juice mixture until fully incorporated and mixture curdles, about 15 seconds. Let sit undisturbed until mixture fully separates into solid curds and translucent whey, 5 to 10 minutes. If curds do not fully separate and there is still milky whey in pot, stir in extra vinegar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and let sit another 2 to 3 minutes, until curds separate.
- Gently pour mixture into prepared colander. Let sit, undisturbed, until whey has drained from edges of cheese but center is still very moist, about 8 minutes. Working quickly, gently transfer cheese to large bowl, retaining as much whey in center of cheese as possible. Stir well to break up large curds and incorporate whey. Refrigerate ricotta until cold, about 2 hours. Stir cheese before using. Ricotta can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
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