Raw Milk Ricotta Cheese

I've been wanting to try making raw milk ricotta cheese, but it took today's asparagus recipe to move me into action.  Ricotta cheese is even easier to make than mozzarella cheese - I just may be searching out new recipes to make use of it!

Here's the how to:

1 gallon raw whole milk

2 t. sea salt

1 1/2  t. citric acid

Pour milk into stainless steel pot.  Add salt and citric acid. 

Heat the milk slowly to 195 degrees, stirring just often enough to prevent scorching the milk.  As it gets closer to 195 degrees, you will see the curd separate from the whey.

When it reaches 195 degrees, remove from heat and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

Line a large strainer with cheesecloth, spoon the curds in the the cheesecloth, then pour the rest through the cheesecloth to get every last bit of curd.

Enjoy!

Supposedly you can use the poured-off whey to feed your tomato plants, but I tried that last summer with the leftover whey from making mozzarella cheese - it attracted a critter that then dug up the plants in its excitement over the whey, so I don't recommend that practice!!