Homemade ricotta cheese

Homemade ricotta

Making ricotta cheese is relatively simple. It's less expensive than buying ricotta, and it lacks a bunch of preservatives. 

There are a lot of cheese making sites on the Internet but when it comes to ricotta, every site I've visited keeps it simple. 

What you need:
1 gallon of whole milk
2 lemons
Colander
Large bowl
Coffee filters
Candy thermometer (optional)

How to do it:
Juice the lemons and set juice aside
Line the colander with the coffee filters and place it over a large bowl. Set aside

Heat whole milk to about 170F or until you see bubbles forming around the edges of the pot and the milk is just on the verge of boiling. Try not to let it boil.

Stir in the juice of the two lemons. The milk solids will separate from the whey. Let it sit for ten minutes.

After ten minutes, carefully spoon solids into the lined colander and allow it to drain. If the cheese seems to dry, add a tablespoon or two of the liquid whey back in until it's at a consistency you like. 

Store in a covered container. (I prefer glass over plastic.)

Cheese will keep for about five days.

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