Traditional Vegan Ricotta (made with plant-based milk)

Joann M Lakes Elliott

Made just like dairy ricotta but no animal products

subheading: INGREDIENTS:

1 liter of plant-based milk (cashews, or soy, almonds, or a nut/soy blend are the best for this recipe)*

¼ teaspoon of white pepper

½ teaspoon of salt

4 tablespoons of fresh lemon (white vinegar or lime)

1 tablespoon softened vegan butter (optional, just to add richness and added at the end of the first straining)

subheading: METHOD:

Add the milk to a pot on high heat and let it comes to a pre-boiling stage, about 176°F.

Add the salt and white pepper, stir to combine

When the milk reaches 176°F, turn off the heat and pour the acid of your choice very slowly into the milk.

Stir 2 or 3 times, VERY GENTLY in a figure 8 to combine everything, cover, and let it sit for about 30 minutes to an hour.

After the resting time, add the cheese basket to a glass bowl, add a tea towel, coffee filter, or multi-layer cheesecloth to the cheese basket and gently pour down or spoon the curds to the basket.

Remove the cheese basket with the ricotta from the bowl, remove the liquid it's drained from the ricotta, return the basket to the bowl, put the bowl with the ricotta in the fridge for up until 24 hours. The longer it stays in the fridge the firmer it will get, so be aware of that.

After this period, remove the cheesecloth and return the ricotta to the basket, settle and level it with the back of a spoon and put it back in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

For extra richness and creaminess, add 1 tablespoon of vegan butter to the ricotta and whisk to combine before taking it to the fridge for the second time.

Remove from the fridge and serve it.

This recipe is perfect for any kind of recipe that asks for ricotta cheese.

Lasts up to a week in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.

You will need 2 cups of almonds soaked and turned into milk with about 5 cups of water

drain the milk and use milk only...( the pulp you can use in other recipes... I make biscotti with almond pulp or I add to other cheeses )

to the almond milk you will add 2 to 3 cups of soy milk. ( this will make a creamer ricotta <3 )

add some salt about 1 ½ TBSP salt

cook on a med. to low heat. making sure to stir so the milk will not burn at the bottom

keep stirring till thick making sure it's always on a low heat.

As soon as it thickens up... remove from heat

add lemon juice ( the juice of one lemon @ 4 to 4 ½ TBSP.)

mix in lemon gently

let it sit without touching it for at least 3 hours or till the milk gets cold.( put some thing on top so no dirt will fall in. I use cheese cloth )

Pass the whey through cheese cloth ( make sure to double the cloth so you don't lose any curds. )

Put something heavy (#1 to 1.5 lbs) on it and let the whey drain from your curds.

In about 2 hours or so. you will feel the ricotta has firmed.

Use some kind of basket with smallish holes (not too big or you will lose your cheese). If your basket has large holes line it with cheese cloth.

Put the basket with cheese in the fridge and enjoy the next day.

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