Joining sourdough and Dalgona coffee, homemade ricotta has become one of the Instagram recipe stars of the pandemic, with thousands of home cooks sharing pictures of their curdled milk products draining in cheesecloth or smeared over toast with tomato jam.
Cheese experts will argue that without cooking whey, home cooks aren't really making ricotta. But when you add acid to milk, and hold it at a temperature of between 170 and 185 degrees, you will end up with a creamy dairy product that can be used to fill gnocchi and ravioli that is arguably better than what you'll find in a grocery store tub.
The recipe that follows makes enough to be eaten as an appetizer or mixed into lemon-ricotta pancakes. You can double the recipe for crepes, cake, or lasagna. The ricotta is best fresh but keeps covered in the fridge for two to three days.
Special tools: You'll need some cheesecloth, although paper towels over a sieve can work, too. You'll also need a thermometer to maintain a steady temperature as the ricotta is forming, and a slotted spoon to remove the curds.
