ENJOY home-made delicious full cream milk ricotta by following these easy steps.

Ingredients

2 ltrs full cream milk

1 tspn salt

4 tbspns cream

4 tbsps white vinegar or lemon juice

Step 1 - Place the milk, salt and cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan and heat until almost boiling (it needs heat to curdle properly).

Then add the vinegar and stir it once or twice very gently just to distribute the vinegar (constant stirring will result in tough, rubbery curds).

Simmer for one to two minutes and then allow to sit for 10 minutes. Most of the ricotta curds will float to the top, leaving the whey at the bottom.

Step 2 - Line a sieve with two layers of cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl to drain or you can use a fine sieve as the ricotta curds are quite large and creamy.

Gently pour the ricotta mixture through the cheesecloth and the whey will separate at the bottom in a clear yellow liquid and the soft and creamy ricotta will sit at the top.

If you want a more solid ricotta, drain for an hour or overnight. Keeps for two to three days in the fridge in an airtight container.

Bake your ricotta with lemon, thyme and grapes.

Hint: Wash your saucepan and utensils immediately, otherwise it can take a bit of elbow grease to clean up.