many years ago i used to make my own ricotta cheese. not that it was strictly ricotta, but it looked and tasted like it. This is what I remember of the recipe.

Ricotta Cheese


First, I put 1 gallon whole milk or skim (1 gal. whole milk = about 1lb cheese) in a large saucepan, with some natural yoghurt culture. Wrap it in a blanket and left it overnight, the yoghurt grew in the milk overnight, in the morning it would have set and there would be a huge tub of yoghurt.

Step 1 = eat yoghurt (add banana, honey, dates, shredded coconut, maple syrup, whatever)

OR step 2 = continue and make ricotta cheese

get a heap of either white vinegar or fresh lemon juice

a large colander lined with fine cheesecloth.

Heat the yoghurt slowly and mildly in the saucepan, stirring to prevent it scorching on the bottom. Add about half a cup of vinegar or lemon juice.

it should instantly curdle, the milk protein and fat separating from the whey in smallish white blobs and foam. once the separation occurslet it sit for a few minutes, with an occasional stir.

Place your lined colander in the sink, drain open and carefully pour the entire contents (DO NOT skim anything off) of the pot into it. Take your time, and allow the water to drain through the cheesecloth. If it goes too quickly and nothing is left behind, you will know that your cheesecloth is too coarse and your cheese has gone down the drain! Do not despair, this has happened to many experienced cheese makers, just get finer cheesecloth and try again, or fold your cheesecloth double over next time.

allow the ricotta to drain and cool, gather the ends of the cloth up and tie into a bag which must be suspended over the sink until it stops dripping. You can hang it on the tap or drape it from a wooden spoon laid across the sink, whatever works. The ricotta will be finished draining in about an hour and be ready to use in any recipe that calls for this type of cheese.

Depending on how you are going to use it, you could add some celery or onion salt if for savoury use, or if the cheese is to be used in a dessert, add a little cream, or a touch of vanilla, whatever, and mix in well to make a richer product.

If you are not going to use the cheese immediately, pack into a container and either refrigerate or freeze. This cheese freezes well and will always be available that way. It keeps in the fridge a few days.

freda