Sicilian Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Ingredients

• gal lon whole milk
• quart buttermilk
• pint heavy cream
• tablespoon kosher salt
• inch squares cheesecloth

Instructions

1. Line a large colander or sieve with 4 layers of cheesecloth. Set aside.
2. Heat milk, buttermilk, heavy cream, and salt in a large, heavy, nonreactive saucepan over medium low heat, stirring occasionally for the first 10 minutes. Continue heating, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 190 degrees F. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour. The mixture will be separated into white curds and clear whey.
3. Using a slotted spoon, ladle approximately 1/4 of the curds into the cheesecloth lined colander. Gather up the corners of the top cheesecloth and secure closed with a zip tie. Repeat with the rest of the curds, cheesecloth, and zip ties. Use the last zip tie to thread all of the cheeses together. Suspend the cheeses over a large wooden spoon over a large bowl, and let drain for 2 hours.
4. Place the four cheeses, still in cloth, in a bowl in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, cut zip ties, and transfer cheese to an airtight container.