WHOLE MILK RICOTTA RECIPES

Steps:

• Place the milk and salt into a large saucepan, heat the milk over a medium to high flame until it just comes to the boil. Stir the milk from time to time to prevent it from scorching to the bottom of the pot.Note: You don’t want the milk to come to a complete boil, just to the point where the milk froths and bubbles start to appear on the sides of the pan.
• Remove from the heat, stir in 5 tablespoons of vinegar into the milk, and leave for a few seconds.
• Add another 5 to 6 tablespoons of vinegar, stir and mix well. The milk should separate, and curds and whey will form. Let this sit in the pot for 5 minutes.
• Prepare a sieve lined with a double layer of cheese cloth (or muslin), place this over a large bowl if you want to keep the whey or, drain directly over the sink if you don’t want to keep the whey.
• Pour the heated milk mixture into the lined sieve and allow to sit in the sieve for another 5 minutes.
• Next, tie the ends of the cheese cloth together and allow the ricotta cheese to hang and drain for about 5 – 10 minutes.Note: This can be done by tying the cheese cloth around a large wooden spoon and suspended it from the top of a deep large pot, or just tie the cloth to the kitchen tap.
• Remove the ricotta cheese from the cloth and transfer to a bowl, use the back of a spoon to press it down, allow it to cool, cover and store in the fridge.
• Ricotta can be kept for up to one week in the fridge or it can be frozen.

Steps:

• Stir dissolved citric acid mixture into the milk.
• Slowly heat the milk to 195-205°F, stirring frequently. Turn off the heat and allow to set for 1 hour. Do not stir.
• Line a colander with cheesecloth and pour the curds and whey into it. Drain for at least 30 minutes, longer if you want a drier cheese.
• Place the curds in a bowl and add heavy cream. Salt to taste and refrigerate.