Homemade Ricotta Cheese with Made by Cow Full Cream Milk
Some recipes are worth making from scratch simply because the difference is so delicious.
Ricotta is one of them.
Soft, creamy and wonderfully fresh, homemade ricotta is surprisingly simple to make. You don't need fancy equipment or a long list of ingredients. Just good milk, a little patience and a few simple steps.
And when you start with Made by Cow Full Cream Milk, you're starting with milk that's already rich and full-bodied in flavour.
Made by Cow Full Cream Milk is cold pressed raw milk sourced from family-owned dairy farms in the Goulburn Valley, Victoria. The cows graze freely on lush green pastures, while the milk is cold pressed rather than heat pasteurised, homogenised, separated or standardised.
The result?
A beautifully creamy homemade ricotta that's perfect for spreading on toast, folding through pasta, spooning onto roasted vegetables or simply eating straight from the bowl.
Because sometimes, the best things in the kitchen are the ones you make yourself.
Why Make Ricotta at Home?
There's something special about making cheese from scratch.
You start with something as simple as milk and, with a little heat, acidity and patience, transform it into something completely different.
Homemade ricotta has a soft, delicate texture and a fresh flavour that's difficult to replicate with a packaged product.
It's also incredibly versatile.
Use it on sourdough with honey and fresh fruit. Spoon it over pasta. Add it to lasagne. Mix it with herbs for a savoury dip. Or serve it alongside roasted vegetables for an easy dinner.
And because the recipe starts with full cream milk, you get to bring all that naturally rich, creamy character into the finished cheese.
The Ingredients You'll Need
For a batch of homemade ricotta, you'll need:
1 x 750mL bottle Made by Cow Full Cream Milk
1 small tub plain Greek-style yoghurt
50mL strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
A small pinch of nutmeg
You'll also need:
A heavy-based saucepan
A wooden spoon
A strainer
Muslin cloth or cheesecloth
A bowl or container for draining
An airtight container for storing your finished ricotta
The ingredient list is wonderfully simple.
That's exactly why the milk matters.
When there aren't dozens of ingredients competing for attention, the quality and flavour of your milk can really shine through.
How to Make Homemade Ricotta
1. Heat the milk
Pour the Made by Cow Full Cream Milk into a heavy-based saucepan.
Add the Greek-style yoghurt, salt and a small pinch of nutmeg.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.
As the mixture warms, you'll notice a creamy layer beginning to form on the surface.
When fine bubbles begin appearing and the milk looks warm and creamy, start stirring more consistently.
The goal is to bring the milk to a gentle simmer rather than letting it boil rapidly.
Slow and steady is the way to go here.
2. Let the milk gently simmer
Once the milk reaches a gentle simmer, continue stirring for around one minute.
This is where the milk proteins begin changing, preparing the mixture for the next important step: curdling.
Don't rush it.
Good ricotta rewards a little patience.
3. Add the lemon juice
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mixture cool for around 10 minutes.
Then add the strained lemon juice.
Give it a gentle stir to distribute the lemon juice throughout the milk, but don't overwork the mixture.
Now comes the waiting part.
Let the mixture sit and curdle for approximately one hour.
You'll gradually see the creamy curds separating from the liquid whey.
It's a little bit magical.
Milk goes in.
Ricotta comes out.
4. Strain the Ricotta
While the milk is curdling, prepare your strainer.
Line it generously with clean muslin or cheesecloth and place it over a suitable bowl or in the sink.
Once the mixture has curdled, carefully pour it into the lined strainer.
The liquid will drain away while the soft curds remain behind.
Gently shake the strainer to help release some of the liquid.
Don't squeeze too aggressively.
The goal is to remove enough liquid to create a creamy, spoonable ricotta while keeping that lovely soft texture.
5. Drain and Finish
Once most of the liquid has drained, gather the corners of the cloth around the ricotta.
You can gently twist the cloth to encourage more liquid to escape.
Take your time with this step.
You want the ricotta to become thicker, but you don't want to squeeze it so hard that the curds push through the cloth.
Let the ricotta continue draining for around another 30 minutes.
Then unwrap it and transfer it into an airtight container.
And that's it.
You've just made ricotta.
From a bottle of milk.
In your own kitchen.
What Makes Made by Cow Full Cream Milk Different?
The milk you choose can make a difference when you're cooking.
Made by Cow Full Cream Milk is cold pressed raw milk sourced from family-owned dairy farms in Victoria's Goulburn Valley, where cows graze freely on lush green pastures. It combines the rich, creamy characteristics of Jersey milk with naturally occurring A2 protein.
Unlike conventional milk that undergoes heat pasteurisation and homogenisation, Made by Cow takes the milk straight from the farm and applies cold high pressure to make it safe.
According to Made by Cow, this process provides an equivalent level of safety to heat pasteurisation while avoiding the use of heat and retaining more of the milk's naturally occurring calcium, protein, vitamins and enzymes.
It's milk that's been kept closer to its natural state.
And when you're turning that milk into something as simple as ricotta, you can really appreciate its naturally creamy, full-bodied character.
A Milk Made for Cooking
Milk isn't just something you pour into a glass.
It's one of the most versatile ingredients in the kitchen.
It can transform sauces, enrich baked goods, create creamy desserts and, as this recipe proves, become something completely new.
Made by Cow Full Cream Milk is particularly well suited to recipes where richness and texture matter.
Think creamy pasta sauces.
Bechamel.
Custards.
Pancakes.
Fresh ricotta.
The possibilities are almost endless.
And because Made by Cow milk isn't homogenised, you may notice cream naturally developing on top of the bottle. Simply give it a good shake before using it.
That's not a flaw.
It's part of what makes the milk different.
How to Enjoy Your Homemade Ricotta
Now comes the best part.
Eating it.
Spread your fresh ricotta generously over toasted sourdough and finish with honey and cracked pepper.
For something savoury, mix it with fresh herbs, lemon zest and a little olive oil.
Spoon it over roasted vegetables.
Add a dollop to pasta.
Use it as the creamy layer in a lasagne.
Or keep things wonderfully simple and serve it warm with a drizzle of good olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.
You could even turn it into a sweet breakfast with fresh berries, honey and toasted nuts.
The beauty of homemade ricotta is that it doesn't need much.
When the cheese is this fresh and creamy, simple is often best.
Be Legen-Dairy in the Kitchen
Making ricotta from scratch might sound like the sort of thing you'd leave to a professional cheesemaker.
But once you try it, you'll realise just how achievable it is.
A bottle of Made by Cow Full Cream Milk.
A few simple ingredients.
A little heat.
A little patience.
And suddenly you've got a bowl of fresh, creamy ricotta sitting on your kitchen bench.
That's the beauty of cooking with good ingredients.
You don't always need complicated recipes.
Sometimes you just need to start with something good.
Be Legend-Dairy.
Made by Cow Full Cream Milk
Made by Cow Full Cream Milk is cold pressed raw milk sourced from family-owned dairy farms in the Goulburn Valley, Victoria.
The cows graze freely on lush green pastures, and the milk is cold pressed to preserve its natural taste and quality. The result is a fresh, smooth and full-bodied milk with rich, creamy characteristics and naturally occurring A2 protein.
It's also naturally unhomogenised, meaning cream can develop on top of the milk. Give the bottle a good shake before drinking or using it in your recipes.
Ingredients: Cold Pressed Raw Milk
Made by Cow Full Cream Milk is more than something to pour over your cereal.
It's a beautifully versatile ingredient for cooking, baking and making recipes from scratch.
And sometimes, all it takes is a bottle of good milk to make something Legend-Dairy.
Where To Buy Made by Cow
Ready to give Made by Cow Full Cream Milk a place in your fridge?
Made by Cow is available nationally.
Availability can vary by location, so find your nearest stockist on the Made by Cow website.
From homemade ricotta to creamy sauces, desserts and everyday cooking, there's plenty you can make when you've got good milk on hand.