Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Step 1

Simply mix your milk* and salt at medium heat, till just below boiling level, stirring occasionally. You can do this with a thermometer (boiling level is 212.3ºF/ 100ºC), or wait for it to JUST begin to boil and switch off the heat immediately.

Step 2

Add the lemon juice** then leave it to rest for around 10 minutes to curdle and separate curd from the whey.

Step 3

Lay a layer of cheesecloth over a sieve, draining into a large bowl. Pour the mixture over the cheesecloth and leave it to drain the excess liquid.

Step 4

The longer you strain it, the drier your cheese will be. This can be anywhere between 15-60 minutes.

Step 5

You can store ricotta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or within the freezer for two months (read the post for the correct way to freeze and thaw the cheese)