Joannas Easy Homemade Ricotta 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:

• Line a colander with a few layers of cheesecloth and put it into the sink.
• Pour milk and buttermilk into large pot. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Curds will begin to rise up and clump on the surface. Once the mixture is steaming, stop stirring. Curds and whey will separate. Whey will look like cloudy water underneath a mass of white curds (this will happen at about 140 degrees F). When separated, turn off the heat and ladle the curds into the cheesecloth. When all curds are in the cloth and the dripping has slowed, gently bring up the edges of cloth and twist it to bring the curds together. Give a squeeze to let the water continue to drain. Tie it with string and hang it over the sink or a pan to drain for about 15 minutes or so. Let it drain 15 minutes more.
• Discard the whey. Untie the cheesecloth and pack the ricotta into airtight containers. Refrigerate and use within 1 week, or eat immediately. Serve with crusty garlic bread, olive oil and chunky salt, herbs or something else good.

Steps:

• Line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set over a deep bowl or pot.
• Combine milk, cream, and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally in a "figure eight" motion, until it reaches a temperature of 195 degrees F (90 degrees C). If you don't have a thermometer, this will be right before it starts to simmer. You'll see steam rising from the surface, and tiny bubbles forming around the edges of the pan.
• Turn off the heat, pour in the vinegar, and stir slowly in a "figure eight" motion for 3 or 4 seconds.
• Let the mixture sit, untouched, for 6 minutes.
• Carefully ladle into the cheesecloth-lined mesh strainer so that the dripping whey drains into the pot or bowl. Let the ricotta drain into the pot for between 20 and 45 minutes, depending on how soft or firm you want your cheese. The longer it drains, the firmer the texture will be once chilled.
• Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and lift the drained ricotta out of the strainer and place in a bowl. Let cool on the counter to room temperature, then wrap and chill thoroughly.
• Remove cheesecloth and serve. Ricotta usually needs an additional pinch of salt when serving.

Steps:

• Pour the milk and cream into a wide, heavy-bottomed nonreactive saucepan and bring to a simmer over high heat. Turn off the heat, add the lemon juice and salt, and allow to cool without stirring for 5-10 minutes: you will see curds forming.
• Line a strainer or colander with a single layer of cheesecloth and place it in the sink. Gently scoop the curds out of the saucepan into the lined colander. (Don't simply pour everything at once, as you don't want to break up the curds that have formed.) Once you have scooped all of the curds into the colander, let the ricotta drain until it is no longer runny, but a thick, spoonable consistency, 15-20 minutes.
• The warm ricotta can be served right away. If you are serving it later, or need it to be drier (e.g., for ravioli filling or cheesecake), lay a wooden spoon across the colander. Lift the corners of the cheesecloth and tie them around the spoon, creating a bundle. Place the wooden spoon over a bowl so the ricotta bundle hangs suspended over the bowl, allowing additional liquid to drain away. Place the draining ricotta in the refrigerator overnight, or until it reaches desired consistency.

Steps:

• Mix the milk and the juice together in a saucepan.
• Heat the milk slowly stirring continuously and curd will form as the temperature increases.
• Keep heating and stirring until just short of boiling.
• Do not allow to boil.
• Line a sieve with a double layer of clean cheesecloth and pour the milk mixture through the sieve.
• The milk mixture will separate leaving ricotta cheese in the muslin and whey in the container underneath.
• Put the ricotta in the refrigerator and use within the next 48 hours.