Sicilian Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Ingredients

• Servings: 5
• 1 gallon whole milk
• 1 quart buttermilk
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 18-inch squares cheesecloth

Recipe

Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 35 mins Ready Time: 55 mins


• line a large colander or sieve with 4 layers of cheesecloth. set aside.
• heat milk, buttermilk, heavy cream, and salt in a large, heavy, nonreactive saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for the first 10 minutes. continue heating, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 190 degrees f. remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour. the mixture will be separated into white curds and clear whey.
• using a slotted spoon, ladle approximately 1/4 of the curds into the cheesecloth-lined colander. gather up the corners of the top cheesecloth and secure closed with a zip tie. repeat with the rest of the curds, cheesecloth, and zip ties. use the last zip tie to thread all of the cheeses together. suspend the cheeses over a large wooden spoon over a large bowl, and let drain for 2 hours.
• place the four cheeses, still in cloth, in a bowl in the refrigerator overnight. in the morning, cut zip ties, and transfer cheese to an airtight container.