Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Appetizers, Dinner, Hungry, Lunch, , , , , 24 Comments

You know that moment when you eat something you’ve made from scratch for the first time?  That moment when the first bite hits you senses and the flavors you never new existed dance across your taste buds?  That moment when suddenly you shouting out loud  “Oh my goodness!!! How have I been missing out on this my whole life?!?!?” In that moment all you care about is how to get the next bite in your mouth as soon as possible?

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I experienced that moment this past weekend while standing over a bowl of warm, freshly made, ricotta cheese. If you would also like to experience this same moment follow the instructions below 🙂

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Makes about 4-1/2 cups of Ricotta Cheese

Ingredients: 

1 Gallon Whole Milk

1 Cup Heavy Cream

1 Tablespoon Sea Salt

1/2 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice

 

  • Special Tools :

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Cheese Cloth

Candy Thermometer

Directions:

In a large heavy pot set over medium low heat bring the milk and cream up to 190 degrees F.  Stir the pot occasionally to make sure the milk on the bottom doesn’t scorch.

Meanwhile place a couple of layers of damp cheese cloth over a strainer fitted over a very large bowl.

When the milk and cream have reached 185 degrees stir in the salt. Then as soon as the milk reaches 190 degrees remove from the heat and slowly stir in the 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice. Stir gently to form the cheese curds for about 2-3 minutes then ladle the curds into the strainer lined with cheese cloth set over another large bowl.

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Strain the cheese for at least 30 minutes for a soft ricotta cheese and upto 24 hours for a denser, dryer ricotta cheese.

I strained my ricotta cheese for about 45 minutes then topped with Red Hawaiian Sea Salt, Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, Lemon Zest, and a Fruity Olive Oil.  Serve with crusty bread, crackers, or just eat it by the spoonful when no one is looking.

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The whey leftover from making the cheese can be strained and reserved for other uses. For example, replacing the warm whey for warm water in you favorite bread recipes.

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I used some of the warm leftover whey to make some crusty loafs of french bread.

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Then made a dinner of toasted bread, ricotta, crispy pancetta, and fresh tomatoes.

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Life is good.

Posted by

My name is Melody and I am the cook and blogger behind Meals With Mel. I have a love for traveling, I share a joy for gardening, and I have a passion for cooking. Although I do some baking, I don't consider myself a baker as I can't stand having to measure. When it comes to cooking my philosophy is add a bit of this, a dash of that, a splash of something doesn't hurt, never forget some type of pepper and always add at least one clove of garlic. Thanks for stopping by my Spicy Texas Kitchen and I hope to see you again!!! Melody

24 thoughts on “Homemade Ricotta Cheese”

    1. Thanks Kathryn!! This ricotta honestly falls in the category of best things I’ve ever eaten. While I don’t know that I would take the time to make this for something like a lasagna or stuffed pasta dish I would definitely make this as a appetizer for a girls night with a good bottle of vino. As for the bread it was actually easier than I though it would be… Plus I learn my oven would pre-heat to 550 degrees…. That was a little nerve wracking.

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  7. A great recipe, Mel, with a tasty result. I started making ricotta this way a few years ago and haven’t bought a tub of it since. It was my “gateway” cheese and I’ve since added a few others to my arsenal.

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      2. Impressive!!

        Learning to make homemade mascarpone would be handy since it’s not always available here and homemade mozzarella would be a dream 🙂

        Thanks for sharing John and I will do some reading up on the cheese making tonight.

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  8. OK, put me in the camp of people who have never had homemade ricotta- and this looks so inviting. You’ve made it look do-able too Melody! and you can use ricotta so many ways! thanks for the recipe!

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    1. Thanks Rhonda 😀
      I was amazed at how easy homemade ricotta was to make. In fact I would say the hardest part was use finding the cheesecloth… I had to go to 3 different stores. Ah well.
      Hope you enjoy!!

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      2. I found it at bed, bath, and beyond. 😀Although sure any kitchen supply store would carry cheese cloth I was hair surprised that no local grocery stores carried it.

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