Homemade Ricotta

Simply delicious! When most people think of ricotta, they don't usually think "delicious," and for good reason. "Ricotta" is Italian for "recooked," because it is traditionally made from the left over whey of other cheeses like Parmesan or Mozzarella. In other words, it's made from their scraps, and therefore is forced to stand in the shadow of other cheeses. But what happens if you invest in your ricotta and let it stand as a cheese all of its own? You get . . . something rich, creamy, and simply delicious!

This recipe was borrowed from Smitten Kitchen who was likewise inspired by Salvatore Brooklyn via Tasting Table.

Serving: Makes around 1 cup
Time: 1-2 hours (a lot of time, only a little bit of work)

3  cups whole milk [update: "Ultra-pasturized" milk or cream will 
    not work, and unfortunately they are not required to label it as
   "ultra." If you have the Anderson brand in your area, it has proven
    to work the best for us.]
1  cup heavy cream
3  tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Cheesecloth

1.  Add the milk and cream to a nonreactive sauce pan. Aluminum and copper can especially react with food-acidity and leave behind an undesirable metallic flavor. Therefore, use a stainless steal or clay pot. Slowly and patiently heat the mixture to 195˚, occasionally giving it a stir to prevent the milk from burning on the bottom of the pan. Then remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool to 190˚.

Note: When ricotta is made from the left over whey of another cheese, or simply from inferior ingredients, it will result in a flavorless and gritty texture. By way of contrast, it is the fat from the whole milk and the heavy cream that produces the creamy texture. Therefore, do not forgo the fat!

2.  Removed from the heat, add the lemon juice 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir gently after each addition until the curds begin to separate. Let sit undisturbed for 5 to 20 minutes.

3.  Line a colander with cheesecloth (2 layers). Wet the cheesecloth and place the colander over a bowl or pot to catch the whey. Using a ladle, spoon the curds into the colander and let strain for 1 hour. After 30 minutes, the ricotta will be slightly wet, but plenty creamy. You may prefer this consistency for a dish like lasagne. However, the longer it strains, the creamier it will become. After 1 hour it is slightly drier and creamier, perfect for a baguette or your morning crepe or toast. You can let it strain for as long as it takes to reach the texture you desire. Then salt to taste.

Note: One of the reasons that your typical store bought ricotta is so flavorless and watery is because they do not adequately strain it. They sell it by the weight and therefore all their profit is in the water. 

4.  Store the ricotta in the refrigerator in an airtight container and it should last for several days. Enjoy!