Farmer ricotta cheese DIY

Cheese forms when the proteins in milk are heated sufficiently and curdled with the use of an acid. Curdling refers to the separation of the protein solids called curds from the whey, the liquid by-product of cheese making. 

This recipe produces a 'farmer cheese' that can be molded and sliced. Depending on how well the curds are drained and bonded, the texture ranges from quite spongy and soft, like scrambled eggs to moderately solid. Depending on the concentration of protein in the milk, the flavor may be relatively bland. In any case, flavor can be enhanced by salt and or herbs. 

Typical uses

This cheese may be used: plain; inside corn tortillas; on toast, especially with black pepper, olive oil, tomato, herbs and a little honey if you like sweet-savory; in salads as whole pieces with ingredients like cucumber, tomato, herbs, avocado, beets and roasted vegetables; eggs; stuffed vegetables like sweet peppers, baked potatoes, etc; pasta; soup garnish.

What you need

• 4 cups FULL cream dairy milk, ideally in liquid form. However powdered milk may be used. (For about 950 mL: Reconstituted milk: 830 g Water and 120 g full cream milk powder, fully hydrated before heating. This recipe uses 13% to 15.5% powder in water.) 
• 1/4 + teaspoon Salt (optional)
• Acid for curdling: apx 4 tablespoons (apx 45g) White vinegar or 6 tbsp lemons
• Heat source, medium heat 
• Fine strainer (cheese cloth, plastic coffee filter, dedicated stockings, strainer)

Method

1. Add (reconstructed) milk to a pot. Heat slowly over medium heat. Stir gently so it doesn’t scorch.
2. Bring the milk to about: 85°C to 90°C. Do not let it boil hard. Just hot and steaming, with small movement at the edges. However, if you are overly cautious and do not raise the temperature enough the curdling may not occur at all or readily.
3. Turn heat to low or off. Add vinegar slowly while stirring gently. Then stop stirring. You should begin to see curds forming. 
4. Let it sit undisturbed for 10 to 15 minutes. This helps curds separate from the whey. 
5. If your curds are very fine, line the strainer with cheesecloth. 
6. Pour curds into strainer. This is the first and more important of two opportunities for the whey to be drained off.
7. Squeeze out excess whey. 
8. Optional. Sprinkle salt and or optional condiments over the curds. Avoid breaking up the curds as much as possible by evenly dispersing and folding in these new ingredients. Common herbs include: 2 tbsp chives, 1 tbsp parsley or, 1 small pinch oregano. (Adding salt at this later stage (versus adding to the milk, before curdling) gives better control over managing flavor because most of the draining of whey has already occurred.
9. The cheese may be eaten within as little as a few minutes of pressing it out and forcing it into its mold, which can be a strainer. However, optionally, to make the cheese firmer, refrigerate and allow it to rest for longer, perhaps overnight. 

Image above: A basic kitchen strainer over a pot was used as a mold. Afterwards, a small ceramic weight (a tiny dish) was placed directly on top of the cheese, the cheese was placed into the refrigerator overnight. Salt and green onions were added after the curds had been squeezed to expel excess whey.