RICOTTA
1. Place all the whey from making mozzarella back into your large stainless steel soup pot. Place a lid on it and let it sit overnight on the stovetop to develop sufficient acidity (12-24 hours at room temp.) May smell strange the next day--that is a good sign that you are acidic enough
2. Turn the heat on medium to medium high and bring it to nearly boiling (For me at my altitude this is 210 Degrees F) stirring constantly with your S Steel spoon to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Takes a while--like candy making. Do not let it boil over.
3. Turn off heat, put lid back on again and let it sit for a few hours to cool down.
4. Remove lid and DO NOT STIR. Pour slowly into cheesecloth lined bowl over another bowl to catch whey coming through. It drains rather slow and steady for 1-2 hours. Squeeze out any remaining whey then put in refrigerator in airtight container. Use fairly soon after making or freeze.
5. I use the leftover whey--greenish yellow looking liquid--instead of water in my wheat bread recipe. It adds protein and makes the bread softer and less crumbly. You will need to add a little more flour than your recipe calls for if you choose to do this. Store the liquid in a pitcher in the fridge--everybody learns right away that it is not juice!
