Say Cheese! There’s so much science in cooking and here’s a great experiment to do at home. Bonus: the results are edible!

You can make ricotta cheese from scratch in less than 15 minutes. Give it a try, and then use it in a variety of recipes!

All you need are milk, salt, and an acid like lemon juice and/or vinegar. The acid will cause the milk to separate into curds and whey. The curds are the cheese and the whey is a protein-rich liquid byproduct that can be used in a variety of recipes, too! Kids have been known to try a sip in our classes and say it doesn’t taste too bad!

Do you want to give it a try? Here’s a quick recipe:

Combine 1/2 gallon whole milk with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t burn on the bottom. Be careful not to let it boil over. When the milk starts to foam, you’re close!
Once it comes to a boil, turn down the heat to low, pour in 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice and slowly stir for 1 minute. You’ll see the curds separate from the whey. Turn off the heat, and use a large slotted spoon to transfer the curds into a strainer set over a boil. Let drain for 15 minutes or so and use! You can discard the whey unless you have another use for it.

Are you wondering what to make with that ricotta?