Easy Peasy Imbolc Goats Milk Ricotta Recipes

EASY AND DELICIOUS HOMEMADE RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Pour milk into a saucepan set over medium heat. Heat milk until it registers 194 degrees F (90 degrees C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir lemon juice and salt slowly into warmed milk. Let stand until milk curdles, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl. Pour milk mixture carefully into the lined strainer. Let stand until most of the liquid has drained off the ricotta, about 15 minutes. Discard drained liquid.

IMBOLC PLAIN BUTTERMILK BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the yeast and sugar, and add a few teaspoons of whey. Leave the yeast culture to stand for a few minutes, or until the mixture becomes frothy.
• Add 4 cups of flour to a bowl and blend with the salt. Make a small well in the centre.
• Pour the 2-3 cups of whey into the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring between cups. Add the yeast culture with the second 1/2 cup of whey. Continue adding whey until the dough is very frothy and seems somewhat between a dough and a batter.
• Sprinke the remaining cup of flour onto a surface, thickly, and coat hands with the flour. Pour the dough/batter onto the floured surface.
• Keeping your hands thickly floured, knead the dough into the floured surface, folding in more flour from the surface as you go. In just a couple of minutes, the dough should be smooth and elastic, and you will likely find that most of the leftover flour has not been used.
• Let the dough rise for approximately 30 minutes, before shaping as desired. The bread can be shaped into 2 large cottage loaves, 1 very large plait, or several small rolls.
• If you still have leftover whey, brush a little of this over the formed loaves before baking on 180C, until golden brown on top, and until the loaves sound hollow when tapped underneath.

EASY-PEASY IMBOLC GOATS-MILK RICOTTA

Steps:

• Pour milk, vinegar and lemon juice into a pot.
• Heat mixture on a high heat until it reaches just below boiling point; you will see the curds and whey separate.
• Take a much deeper pot, and suspend over it a colander or funnel layered with muslin.
• Pour the hot milk mixture through the muslin, such that the whey funnels into the pot and the curds are reserved.
• Once most of the whey is drained, bunch up the ends of the muslin and twist to seal in the curds. Remove from the funnel and, holding it over the whey pot, gently squeeze to remove any leftover moisture.
• Turn curds out into a bowl, and be sure to scrape it all from the muslin. Sprinkle with the salt and mix in gently.
• Serve the cheese fresh. You can use some of the reserved whey in place of milk/water to bake some fresh bread to eat with the cheese.