Fresh Ricotta
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- ½ gallon whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 T kosher salt
- lemon zest from one or two lemons (or sub preserved lemons; see note below)
- 1 T sugar
- ½ cup white vinegar
Instructions
- Heat the milk - Heat the milk, cream, lemon zest, salt and sugar until almost simmering (190-205 degrees).½ gallon whole milk, 2 cups heavy cream, 2 T kosher salt, 1 T sugar, lemon zest
- Make the cheese - Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Let the mixture rest off the heat for 15 minutes until it fully curdles.½ cup white vinegar
- Strain the ricotta - Strain through cheesecloth until the desired consistency.
- Chill - chill for several hours or overnight.
- Serve - Check consistency after fully cool. It should be easily spreadable. If cheese is too thick, adjust with heavy cream.
Notes
An alternative to the lemon zest would be preserved lemons. Wait and add the rinsed, preserved lemon when you add the vinegar, then fish out the lemon peel while you're straining the whey. The result is zestier than using lemon zest!