Homemade Ricotta Cheese

A very simple recipe that is fool proof. You will need a cheese cloth to drain the whey from the ricotta, if you don't have a cheese cloth (like me) you can use anything made of cotton and is thin - I used a piece of table cloth that I don't use anymore. The milk used to make the ricotta is very important; the milk can be pasteurized but do not use milk that went through the UHT process. If it has, then the ricotta will not separate from the whey.

You can keep the ricotta in the fridge.

This recipe makes about half a cup of ricotta cheese.

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Ingredients

• 3 cups of Milk - full cream, pasteurized not UHT

• 15ml Lemon juice or vinegar

• salt

Method

1. Place the milk into a pot and set the heat on high.

2. Stir with a wooden spoon regularly, make sure the bottom doesn't burn - bring to the boil.

3. Turn the heat to low once the milk has boiled and add 15ml of lemon juice.

4. Stir to help the separation which is immediate.

5. Turn the heat off and place a lid on the pot. Allow it to sit for 20min.

6. In a colander; place a damp cheese cloth that is folded over itself. Place the colander in a bowl to collect whey - if you would like to use it at a later stage. You can add the whey to smoothies.

7. Pour the whey and ricotta into the colander and ring out the whey. The more whey ringed out, the dryer the ricotta will be.

8. Season with a pinch of salt.

Thyme Ricotta

Ingredients

• Fresh thyme sprigs - a handful

• 2 teaspoons of butter

• Olive oil

• Ricotta

Method

1. Remove the stems and chop up the thyme finely.

2. In a pan on a low heat melt the butter and add a dash of olive oil to avoid burning.

3. Add the thyme and mix

4. Remove from heat when the butter turns a little green

5. Allow to cool then add to the ricotta - mix thoroughly.

and remember to love yourself first,

Love Amber