Ricotta Cheese As A By Product Of Mozzarella Recipes

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:

• Over medium heat cook the whey to 200*. Remove from heat and squeeze the juice of half of a lemon into the pot. If you don't have lemon use vinegar. Give it a gentle stir.
• Wait 5 minutes or so while you line a strainer, set over a large pot, with a cotton cloth. Cheesecloth will be too open to use so go for cotton or muslin.
• Ladle the curds and whey gently into the strainer and letting it drip into the pot for at least two hours. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of ricotta.
• To make dry ricotta for cannoli filling gently squeeze the cloth, twisting it to release the whey. The drier the better for your cannoli filling.
• Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Line a large colander or sieve with 4 layers of cheesecloth. Set aside.
• Heat milk, buttermilk, heavy cream, and salt in a large, heavy, nonreactive saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for the first 10 minutes. Continue heating, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 190 degrees F. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour. The mixture will be separated into white curds and clear whey.
• Using a slotted spoon, ladle approximately 1/4 of the curds into the cheesecloth-lined colander. Gather up the corners of the top cheesecloth and secure closed with a zip tie. Repeat with the rest of the curds, cheesecloth, and zip ties. Use the last zip tie to thread all of the cheeses together. Suspend the cheeses over a large wooden spoon over a large bowl, and let drain for 2 hours.
• Place the four cheeses, still in cloth, in a bowl in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, cut zip ties, and transfer cheese to an airtight container.