Homemade Ricotta Cheese Recipes

Steps:

• Line a large colander with 2 layers of cheesecloth and place over a large bowl.
• In a 5 to 6 quart pot over medium heat, heat milk, cream, and salt, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching, until mixture foams and comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add lemon juice. Simmer, stirring, until mixture curdles, 2 minutes for small curds. If you'd like a larger, dryer curd, continue to simmer an additional 2 minutes.
• Pour mixture into cheesecloth lined colander and drain 10 to 15 minutes or until desired texture is achieved. Empty liquid from bowl if necessary to ensure proper draining. Reserved whey can be used in smoothies or soup. Chill ricotta until ready to use.
• Serve spread onto crostini with a drizzle of olive oil, dollop over pasta or pizza, or stir into scrambled eggs. Ricotta will keep in the fridge for 1 week.

Steps:

• Pour milk into a saucepan set over medium heat. Heat milk until it registers 194 degrees F (90 degrees C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir lemon juice and salt slowly into warmed milk. Let stand until milk curdles, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl. Pour milk mixture carefully into the lined strainer. Let stand until most of the liquid has drained off the ricotta, about 15 minutes. Discard drained liquid.

Steps:

• Put the milk over low heat, and bring to scald point (150 degrees).
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in lemon juice, and the milk will curdle.
• Let the mixture sit without refrigeration for 2-12 hours. This is the mellowing process, and it seems that the more patient you are, the mellower the cheese.
• Place 2 thickenesses of cheesecloth in a strainer.
• Place the strainer over a bowl.
• Pour the mixture into the strainer, and allow the whey to drain several hours until the curd is dry.
• Flavor as you choose. Mix with blue cheese, roquefort, peanut butter, honey, nuts, spices or eat plain.

Steps:

• Line a colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth, and secure it with 3 or 4 clothespins. Set the colander inside a bowl.
• In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, with a thermometer handy, combine the whole milk and buttermilk and heat, stirring nearly constantly, until the temperature reaches 180 degrees F. When you reach 170 to 175 degrees F, you'll start to see fine, little curds separating from the whey. At 180 degrees F, turn off the heat, and skim the curds from the whey using a finely slotted spoon, dropping the curds into the cheesecloth-lined colander. (Save the whey for another use, such as breadmaking.) Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and tie it with a 2-foot length of string. Gently squeeze to remove more, but not all, liquid from the cheese, and then hang over the sink or a bowl for 20 to 30 minutes to drain it a bit more. (I use the string to tie the bag to my faucet.)
• Remove the ricotta from the cheesecloth, spoon it into a container, and stir in the salt. Serve ASAP, preferably without refrigerating.

Steps:

• Set a large sieve over a deep bowl. Dampen 2 layers of cheesecloth with water and line the sieve with the cheesecloth.
• Pour the milk and cream into a stainless-steel or enameled pot such as Le Creuset. Stir in the salt. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for 1 minute until it curdles. It will separate into thick parts (the curds) and milky parts (the whey).
• Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow it to drain into the bowl at room temperature for 20 to 25 minutes, occasionally discarding the liquid that collects in the bowl. The longer you let the mixture drain, the thicker the ricotta. (I tend to like mine on the thicker side, but some prefer it moister.) Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining whey. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The ricotta will keep refrigerated for 4 to 5 days.

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring the milk, yogurt, heavy cream (if using), vinegar, and salt to a boil. Very gently boil for one to two minutes, until the milk is curdled.
• Meanwhile, line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth and set it over a deep bowl.
• Pour the milk mixture into the strainer and let drain for 15 minutes. Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and squeeze gently to extract any excess liquid.
• Storage: Homemade ricotta is best served slightly warm, although it can be refrigerated for up to three days, if desired. Makes 2 cups.

Steps:

• This recipe is so simple that it was difficult to get it published here as there is a requirement of a minimum of 3 ingredients.
• There is no requirement for the chives or even the salt, but I was required to have 3 ingredients. All you really need is how ever much whey you have left over from your cheesemaking session.
• In a stainless steel pot, heat the whey until it reaches 200 degrees. Do not stir. You'll notice a film that will start forming on the top of the whey. This is your ricotta starting to form.
• When your whey reaches 200 degrees, take it off the heat. You'll know when you have reached this temperature as bubbles will have formed around the edges. Using a slotted spoon or ladle, scoop the layer of thickened ricotta that formed on top of the whey into a cheesecloth-lined colander over a bowl. Continue scooping the ricotta until all that's left is the clear whey.
• Grab all 4 corners of the cheesecloth and tie into a ball. Place a string around the top of the cheesecloth/ricotta bundle and hang to drain over a bowl.
• For moist ricotta, hang for 2 hours.
• For more dry ricotta, hang for 8 hours.
• Remove ricotta from cheesecloth and store in a mason jar or plastic tub. It's now ready to be used in recipes or add salt & herbs and it becomes a wonderful cheese spread.
• Enjoy!