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sooz_gw

Ricotta--is it really this easy?

sooz
11 years ago

Hi, Everyone!

I picked up a cookbook today--Better than Storebought, and saw this recipe for ricotta (and I'm a tiny bit confused by one of the instructions--see below):

2 qts milk

3 T distilled white vinegar or 1/4 C strained fresh lemon juice

salt if desired

Put the milk in a nonreactive saucepan and then stir in the vinegar or lemon juice. Over very low heat, bring the milk slowly to a simmer (200 degrees on a thermometer) where there will be little bubbles of milk around the edge of the milk--it will look foamy but the milk won't be boiling.

Remove pot from heat and set it, covered, in a spot where it will be undisturbed for about 6 hours, at a place where the temp will be between 80 to 100 degrees. The solid curds will float above the liquid whey.

Line a sieve with dampened cheesecloth, doubled and set it over a bowl.

Here is where I'm CONFUSED.

The books says "Dip the curds and whey into the sieve and allow the whey to drain off until the ricotta is yogurtlike."

DIP them into the sieve? Shouldn't I be pouring all the curds & whey stuff from the sauce pan into the sieve? Dip them into the sieve? How do I dip them if the sieve is set over a bowl?

Anyway, the instructions continue stating that one can tie the corners of the cheesecloth to form a bag and hand it up to drain some more. When the texture is how you want it (I have no clue as to how long that will take), add a bit of salt and store the ricotta in the fridge, covered. Chill for 24 hours, and it'll keep for about 5 days.

Aside from my confusion, is it really this easy?

Thanks for any help!

Smiles,

Sooz

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