Please make your own ricotta cheese this weekend. It couldn’t be any easier if it made it itself. The experience of making your own cheese is best enjoyed with a group. Kids are especially enthusiastic about it, but any friend or family member will do just fine.

Here is what you need:

1/2 gallon of the best organic milk you can find,

2 cups of buttermilk (ditto on the quality),

salt, and

cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer.

Heat the milk over medium high heat under bubbles start to form along the edges. Not quite at the boiling stage.

At this point, add the buttermilk and 1-2 tbsp of salt and gently stir to combine. Lower the heat to medium and wait. No stirring after this point or it will become grainy. Once the milk really begins to boil, adjust the heat so it is at a gentle boil.

You will see clouds of cheese begin to form. They will separate from the whey (almost looks like a clear liquid). Make a reference to Little Miss Muffet, while the cheese forms this way for about 5-10 minutes.

(see the clouds?)

Turn off the heat and start scooping out your cheese with a slotted spoon or small strainer and gently place into a cheesecloth lined strainer (or just a very fine mesh strainer).

If using cloth, gather the cheese in it forming a pouch and twist to remove excess water. Otherwise just let the water drain for about a half hour.

That’s it. It’s ready to eat.

Here we used it in pasta with fresh basil and tomato and a clove or two of minced garlic. Just dump the hot pasta on top of the basil and tomatoes seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Let the heat from the hop pasta soften the tomatoes and basil.  Add pieces of the cheese.  They will break up as you stir it together.

 

(delicious!!!)