Yogurt, Ricotta, and Paneer

Hopefully, you've already read my blog post on how to pastuerize your raw milk.  Now, you're ready to make something out of it!

Yogurt
If you want to make yogurt, it really is super easy.  I have a cooler and I put warm water in the bottom of it.  Then, I pour the milk into a separate, plastic container, that will fit in the bottom of the cooler and not displace all of the water.  Into the milk, I add a bit of mtinde, maybe a tablespoon or two, depending on how much milk you have in your container.  If you aren't in Tanzania, you would put in a bit of a plain, active yogurt or a culture.  You then put the lid on your container, then the lid on the cooler, and you walk away.  Seriously, I leave it overnight.

In the morning, you have fresh yogurt!  There are so many options now....

Add some vanilla, or honey, or some other sugar option
Add some fresh fruit and mix it up
Use it in a smoothie or any recipe that calls for yogurt
Eat it with granola

Ricotta
After I pastuerize the milk and skim off the cream, I drop in about 3 or 4 splashes of vinegar.  This will curdle the milk.  Let it sit for about 3 hours or so.  Then, I use some cheesecloth and line a wire colander.  I put the colander over a bowl to catch the whey.  I pour the contents of the pot, into the colandar.  The chunks of ricotta will stay in the cheesecloth and the whey will drain through to the bottom, in the bowl.

I then go for a 2nd batch.  Put all the whey back in your pot and put a lid on it and leave it over night.  In the morning, I then set up the cheesecloth and colander again, pour the contents of the pot back through and get a whole other round of ricotta.  The whey at this point can be used for other things.  I usually just pour it over my dog's food :), it's high in protein!

The ricotta can be salted, or left plain.  You can store it in the fridge; but, if you aren't going to use it in the next few days, freeze it.  It thaws very well and can be used in most any Italian dish you might like!

Paneer
This is very, very similar to the ricotta...except, that when you add the vinegar, you bring the milk back up to a boil.  Not a rolling boil mind you, just to the point where you think it's going to boil.  Then turn it off and let it cool for several hours.  When it's room temperature again, set up your colander with cheesecloth, and the bowl beneath it to catch the whey.  Pour out the contents of your pot into the colander.  The cheese will be glossier and stick together more.  I usually add some salt, garlic, basil, oregano, etc....then form it into a little cheese round and refrigerate.  This is great for dinner parties, for a snack on a cracker, or to use in a recipe!

Hope you enjoyed these milk recipes....any other questions, ideas?  Let me know!