Homemade Ricotta Cheese Recipe

Milk, lemon juice, and salt. -That’s all you need to make fresh homemade ricotta.
It is so simple to make, and tastes so much better than the store-bought variety. Furthermore, I tried to reproduce richer and creamy mouthfeel ricotta that I had eaten in Sicily.

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Ricotta cheese and pistachio appetizer at a restaurant in Syracuse, Sicily

Cathedral of Syracuse

Sheep's milk

Homemade Ricotta Cheese Recipe

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• Author: Chicca Food
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings (250 g)

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Description

Milk, lemon juice, and salt. -That’s all you need to make fresh homemade ricotta. Furthermore, I tried to reproduce richer and creamy mouthfeel ricotta that I had eaten in Sicily.

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Ingredients

• 1 litre whole milk, cow’s or sheep’s
• 3 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup heavy cream, (optional)

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Instructions

1. Pour the milk into a large, deep saucepan and place over a medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of sea salt, and heavy cream. Stir until it has dissolved.
2. As the milk comes to the boil, lower the heat to low. Pour in the lemon juice and slowly agitate the milk with a wooden spoon. You will notice the curds (the ricotta) separating from the whey.  
3.  Let the milk sit for 10 minutes.
4. (If you still see a lot of un-separated milk, add another tablespoon of lemon juice and wait a few more minutes.)
5. Set a strainer over a bowl and line the strainer with cheese cloth or muslin. Gently pour the mixture into the strainer and let the whey through.
6. Drain the curds for 10 minutes to 2 hours.
7. If you taste immediately (creamy ricotta), let it sit for 10 minutes. If you use for cooking (dryer ricotta), it can sit up to 1 hour.
8. Use immediately. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers and use within 2 days.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Inactive Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Aperitif
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 grams
• Calories: 159
• Sugar: 13
• Sodium: 695
• Fat: 8
• Saturated Fat: 5
• Unsaturated Fat: 3
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 13
• Fiber: 0
• Protein: 8
• Cholesterol: 26