A Winelover's Wanderings

This was the second monthly cheese made by our little Slow Travel cheesemaking group. It turned out to be pretty easy - so easy even a rookie cheesemaker (like me) could make it.

Now my biggest problem is which recipe to choose for my very first ricotta! I am thinking of just adding some fresh herbs and eating it au natural.

Whole-Milk Ricotta

Yield: 1 1/2 - 2 pounds.

Ingredients:

1 gallon whole milk
1 teaspoon citric acid dissolved in 1/4 cup cool water
1 teaspoon cheese salt (optional)
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)

Instructions:

1. Add the citric acid solution and salt into the milk and mix thoroughly.

2. In a large pot, directly heat the milk to 185 to 195 degress F (do not boil). Stir often to prevent scorching.

3. As soon as the curds and whey separate (make sure there is no milky whey), turn off the heat. Allow to set, undisturbed, for 10 minutes.

4. Line a colander with butter muslin. Carefully ladle the curds into the colander. Tie the corners of the muslin into a knot and hang the bag to drain for 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese has reached the desired consistency. The cheese is ready to eat immediately. For a creamier consistency, add the cream at the end and mix thoroughly.

5. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.