Ricotta

I've been making alot of ricotta lately cause the co-op has had alot of 1/2 price milk. It's even easier than yogurt. For the first few days I tend to eat it fresh, after that I fry it.

Ricotta 'recipe':

Organic milk. has to be whole milk. yield & flavor of cheese goes way down as you use lower fat milk.

About 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice per 1/2 gallon of milk.

Salt

Fresh zest (lemon, orange, blood orange) (use a microplane)

Put milk in a stainless steel pot with salt and zest.

High heat, to 190, stir alot.

Add lemon juice. It will coagulate almost immediately. Add a little more if the whey isn't clear.

Let it sit in the pot for a couple of hours.

Lift out with a slotted spoon, put in a collander over a bowl. You don't need cheesecloth.

Drain for at least 12 hours in the fridge.

Drink the whey.

notes: you can add heavy whipping cream to the milk for more love. You can also use red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, same ratio as lemon juice . You can even use yogurt, 1 cup yogurt for 1/2 gallon of milk. Or, 1t citric acid dissolved in a little water per 1/2 gallon; though i'm not entirely sold on the citric acid, but it is handy to have around.

Fresh it's good with a little olive oil poured over it, salt/pepper, nice with a good tomato. Or fry it in a little olive oil in a non-stick skillet, med-low heat, about 10 min, flip it, about 5 min more, salt/pepper, nice with some good red sauce.

update: tried to make it with defrosted frozen fresh lemon juice. it doesn't work. a shame.

a few making of pics