Homemade Ricotta

Ingredients:

8 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt (more or less to taste)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Method:

Line a large strainer or sieve with cheesecloth* and place the strainer over a large bowl.

In a large pot or saucepan, bring the milk, cream, and salt to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to keep milk mixture from scorching.

Add all the lemon juice, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring gently once or twice, for 2 minutes. The mixture will curdle immediately.

Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth lined strainer and let drain for an hour or two. Discard the liquid whey (the whey can be used in bread baking) and refrigerate the ricotta or use immediately. If you want it really dry, wrap it back up with the cheesecloth, leave it in the strainer over the bowl, weight it down with something heavy, and refrigerate overnight.

Notes:

* If you can't find cheesecloth, paper coffee filters work well.