How to Make Ricotta from Whey or Milk

Ricotta is the easiest cheese to make at home and one of the most rewarding. The name means “re-cooked”, and traditionally it is made from the whey left over after making another cheese — but you can make excellent ricotta from plain milk too. Either way, it takes under an hour.

Two ways to make it

• From milk — richer, creamier, a dependable result from shop-bought milk
• From whey — the traditional method; leaner and more delicate, and it uses up what you would otherwise discard

From whey, the yield is lower unless you add some milk back in. A common compromise is a mix of whey and milk.

Ingredients (from milk)

• 2 litres whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon citric acid, or 60 ml lemon juice or white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Method

1. Pour the milk into a heavy pot and stir in the salt.
2. Heat gently to about 85–90°C / 185–195°F. Do not boil, or the curd turns grainy.
3. Add the acid, stir once or twice and stop. The milk will separate into white curds and a yellowish whey.
4. Let it sit off the heat for 10 minutes.
5. Line a colander with muslin or a clean tea towel and ladle in the curds.
6. Drain for 10–30 minutes, depending on how firm you want it. Do not squeeze hard, or it turns dry.

Getting it creamy, not grainy

Graininess comes from overheating or adding too much acid. Keep the temperature below a boil and add acid gradually. If the ricotta does turn grainy, it will still taste good — crumbling it into a lemon ricotta cake hides any texture issue.

Using it

Fresh ricotta is wonderful simply spread on toast with olive oil and pepper, folded into pasta, or used in baking. It keeps refrigerated for three to four days and does not freeze well. See our ricotta cheesecake and stuffed shells for ideas.