Homemade ricotta
Make this when you have milk perilously close to the use by date
(or past it but it still passes the sniff test), or just because it’s nice
to make your own.

1. Heat the milk and salt in a stainless-steel or enamel (non-
reactive) pot over a low heat (like if your heat range is 1–10,
heat the milk on 3 or 4). You want the milk to come up to 95°C
(205°F) but take 45 minutes to do so.

Heating the milk slowly makes a creamier ricotta.

2. Stir like you’re in a slo-mo film s equence every now and again.

3. When the milk hits 95°C (205°F), keep the heat on and squeeze
in the juice of the freshly cut lemon – juice from an old pre-
juiced lemon won’t have the curdle power. Throw the lemon
husk in too. You can also use white vinegar as the acidulant,
but I prefer the taste of lemon. Stir the milk in slo-mo until it
visibly separates into chonky curds and clear yellow whey. If
this doesn’t happen within 4–5  minutes, add an extra squeeze
of lemon juice and stir.

4. Once the curdling has started, turn the heat off and let the pot
stand, un-stirred, for 20 minutes.

5. Line a colander with muslin (cheesecloth) or a fresh tea towel
(dish towel) rinsed in cold water.

There may be a light brown film on the bottom of the pot. This is minimised
by the low heat and gentle stirring. Be careful not to stir too hard or the
ricotta will have some brown flecks.

6. Scoop the curds out with a slotted spoon into the lined colander.

Drape the overhanging cloth on top of the curds and drain. You
can use the warm curds (delicious) within minutes. Or drain,
chilled, overnight for a drier/firmer ricotta.

7. Discard the whey or use in lieu of water in yeasted dough or in
smoothies. I also love to poach chicken in it.

Makes Around 250 g (9 oz). Takes 1–2 hours, mainly monitoring. Keeps Around 3–4 days, chilled.
1 litre (34 fl oz) full-cream
(whole) milk or low-fat milk
pinch of salt
1 medium lemon, freshly cut
(or  50 g/ 1 ¾ oz white vinegar)