Ricotta Cheese

I can not beleive how easy it was to make Ricotta cheese. Another recipe that is super easy and will save me a lot of money, just like the yogurt. This is delicious with a little honey or fruit and wonderful in Lasagna!

Ricotta Cheese
1/2 gallon Whole Milk
4tbs Vinegar
1/2 tsp Salt

Heat the milk and vinegar slowly, in a crock pot on low or over the stove in a heavy bottom pan on med low, until it reaches 180º. Be sure to use a thermometer to check the temperature. Slowly heating the milk should take about 30min-1hr.

Remove the milk from heat, or unplug the crockpot and let sit covered for about 2 hours until curds form. It will look like one big curd. Drain the milk mixture in a colander lined with cheese cloth. Drain for several hours until most of the liquid is gone. I like to drain the cheese over a large pot. The whey is great for cooking, use it in place of water in breads, rice, or most other recipes where you want to add a little more nutrients. 

Break the large curds into smaller pieces add 1/2 tsp salt or more depending on your tastes. Store the ricotta in the fridge for a week or freeze for cooking later. It will not unfreeze with exactly the same texture but it is still great for adding to baked items like lasagna. 

Ricotta makes a very yummy snack and can be used in the same way you would use cottage cheese.