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Fresh Ricotta

I got this fresh homemade ricotta recipe from Food & Wine magazine's March 2022 issue. The cheese is super simple to make, tastes amazing, and is perfect for lasagna, or a dessert like the Honey-Ricotta Mousse.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Course Side Dish

Equipment

  • 1 stock pot
  • cheese cloth
  • 1 colander
  • 1 large bowl

Ingredients
  

  • 1 gal whole milk
  • 1 qt buttermilk
  • ½ tsp kosher salt

Instructions
 

  • Combine milk, buttermilk, and salt in a large stock pot. Cook over medium heat until an instant read thermometer reads 180°, approximately 30-40 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and let sit, uncovered, at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. The curds will separate from the whey and float on top.
  • Line a colander with cheese cloth that's large enough to wrap around the ricotta. Place the colander over the bowl. Using a wire mesh strainer, scoop out the curds into the colander. Be gentle as the curds will begin to break up as you scoop. Keep the curd pieces as large as you can.
  • Let ricotta drain for about 30 minutes to an hour, the longer the drier the texture. Bring corners of the cheesecloth together and lift up the ricotta, gently twisting the cheese ball, draining the whey, until the whey becomes opaque and milky.
  • Use immediately or store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.