It’s June Dairy Month and what better way to celebrate than with homemade cheese? Making your own cheese might seem intimidating, but this recipe for homemade ricotta cheese couldn’t be easier. There are seldom ingredients as versatile as ricotta with the ability to lean sweet or savory. In less than an hour, you’ll have the perfect base for lasagna, ricotta lemon pancakes, or even a cheesecake! With only a few ingredients, the quality of each will shine through. This spreadable cheese is equally at home dolloped on a grilled bread for bruschetta or folded into a crepe. Add it to your next charcuterie board and impress everyone with your homemade cheese!
Makes 1¾ cups
Total time: 1 hour 15 min
Ingredients
- 1 quart whole milk
- ½ pint heavy cream
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, approximately 2 medium lemons
Directions
- Pour the milk, cream, and salt into a saucepan.
- Over medium heat, bring mixture to a simmer, approximately 180 F. Turn off heat, pour in lemon juice, and stir gently. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Line a colander or sieve with a few layers of cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl. Ladle the mixture into the colander and let drain for 30-45 minutes. The longer the ricotta drains, the crumblier it will be. If you find your ricotta is too dry, add in a little bit of the whey or add a touch of milk until you reach the consistency you desire. Season to taste with salt.
- Discard liquid and enjoy the fresh ricotta right away or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. Keeps up to a week.