Homemade ricotta

As part of the lasagna I made the other night, I decided to do some homemade ricotta too, something I’ve been wanting to try for a while. Well, I made it, it turned out great, and I’m happy to tell you that it’s also super easy.

All you purists may want to turn back now – technically, it’s not true ricotta, which is made from the leftover whey of other cheese. But for our purposes, it serves just fine.

Homemade Ricotta (makes approx. 2 cups)

8 cups whole milk (I actually did 7 cups of milk, and 1 cup of cream)
1 Tbsp salt
4 Tbsp white vinegar

In a medium saucepan, add the milk (and cream) and salt. Heat until the milk just starts to simmer, stirring occasionally.

Add the vinegar, then stir a few times. Remove from heat.Almost immediately, the milk will start to curdle. Let it sit for a couple more minutes, stirring once or twice more.

Over a deep bowl, place a colander or other large strainer, lined with cheesecloth. Using a slotted spoon, move the curds from the pan to the colander. The firmer you want the cheese, the longer you let it drain, from a couple minutes to 20 or so.

Transfer to a small container, use it in a recipe, or eat it while it’s still warm! Sources say this will keep for a few days in the refrigerator, but I’m betting you’ll never find out.