Homemade Ricotta

I love ricotta. I have been making ricotta ever since my Italian cooking course last year.

Ricotta is a beautiful light “whey” cheese which can be used in a variety of sweet and savoury dishes. Sweet dishes include tiramisu, cheesecake, and cannoli. Savoury dishes include spinach and ricotta parcels, quiches, fritters etc.  The texture of ricotta is similar to cottage cheese.

Once you learn how to make ricotta, you will never buy it again.  All you need is full fat milk and some vinegar. The following recipe is so easy.

The homemade ricotta can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Before you begin set up the Equipment:

Place a sieve lined with muslin over a large heat-proof bowl.  Instead of muslin you can use a clean chux cloth.

Homemade Ricotta

4 cups of full fat milk

1/2 tsp of salt

2 tbsp vinegar/lemon juice

• Place the milk in a saucepan and heat on the stove temp using a medium high heat.
• Heat the milk until little bubbles form around the edge of the liquid.
• Take off the heat and add the vinegar/lemon juice.
• The milk should start to curdle, separating the solids from the liquid.

• Add more vinegar or lemon juice if this does not happen straight away
• Add the mixture from the pot to the muslin-lined sieve.
• Leave to drain for approx 1 hour.
• After this time the solids will be separated.
• Refrigerate until required.

This quantity makes approx 150g of ricotta.