Homemade Ricotta Cheese 6/5/16, 4:56 PM

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

From America's Test Kitchen Season 16: Dinner in Italy

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

Creamy, milky, and luxuriously rich, fresh ricotta is a different universe from the grainy, clumpy supermarket stuff. All
you need is milk, lemon juice, vinegar, a colander, and cheesecloth—and you can make it to just the texture you want.
It works as well in a cheesecake as it does in your favorite lasagna recipe. For the most reliable results, use fresh
homogenized and pasteurized milk here; do not use ultra-pasteurized or ultra-heat-treated (UHT or long-life) milk in
this recipe, as it will not curdle properly.

Makes about 2 pounds (4 cups)

For best results, don’t stir the milk too hard, and be very gentle with the curds once they form.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar, plus extra as needed

1 gallon pasteurized (not ultrapasteurized or UHT) whole milk

2 teaspoons salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Line colander with butter muslin or triple layer of cheesecloth and place in sink. Combine lemon juice and vinegar in
liquid measuring cup; set aside. Heat milk and salt in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring frequently with
rubber spatula to prevent scorching, until milk registers 185 degrees.

2. Remove pot from heat, slowly stir in lemon juice mixture until fully incorporated and mixture curdles, about 15
seconds. Let sit undisturbed until mixture fully separates into solid curds and translucent whey, 5 to 10 minutes. If
curds do not fully separate and there is still milky whey in pot, stir in extra vinegar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and let sit
another 2 to 3 minutes, until curds separate.

3. Gently pour mixture into prepared colander. Let sit, undisturbed, until whey has drained from edges of cheese but
center is still very moist, about 8 minutes. Working quickly, gently transfer cheese to large bowl, retaining as much
whey in center of cheese as possible. Stir well to break up large curds and incorporate whey. Refrigerate ricotta until
cold, about 2 hours. Stir cheese before using. Ricotta can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.

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