Microwave Ricotta

Directions

1. 1
   Moisten 4 layers of cheesecloth or two layers of food-safe paper towels and lay into a colander set over a bowl.
2. 2
   Combine milk, salt and vinegar or lemon juice in a 4-cup glass bowl or measuring cup. Microwave on high until bubbles form around the edge, 2-4 minutes. (An instant read thermometer should read 165-170°F). Remove from microwave and stir gently for 5 seconds; solid white curds should separate from translucent whey. If not, microwave up to 30 seconds more (if using lemon juice, add an extra 1-2 tsp before reheating).
3. 3
   Transfer curds to lined colander using a slotted spoon or wire-mesh skimmer. Cover exposed curds with a layer of plastic wrap and refrigerate until desired texture is achieved (see next step). The whey may be used for bread-making or for enriching a garden.
4. 4
   5 minutes drain time will give a soft, almost cream-cheese-like consistency, great for immediate consumption drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper as a snack or appetizer, or with honey and berries as dessert. 15-20 minutes of draining will give you a cottage-cheese-like consistency good for moist savory applications like lasagna, manicotti, ravioli or spinach dip, for moist sweet things like cheesecake, or for uncooked pastry applications like cannoli filling. 2-24 hours will result in a dry, firm, crumbly curd best for pastries like ricotta pancakes, ricotta gnochi, or tortas.