homemade ricotta & lasagna dinner

When we neglect to drink the full gallon of farm milk, I like to make ricotta for quiche or lasagna. It's the simplest cheese to make, & the texture really kicks any recipe up a notch. You can also sweeten it for dessert cheese creations.

Ingredients

Ricotta

• half gallon raw milk
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• salt to taste

• warm milk in ___ quart pot until it is steaming but not boiling
• turn off heat & stir in vinegar & salt [if desired], watch curds separate from whey but avoid over-stirring
• pour through cheesecloth & let drain to desired texture, reserve whey for use in other recipes

Lasagna

• 1 lb grass-fed beef [sage sausage is also very good]
• 1 leek or half a red onion
• 1 Tbsp each oregano, basil, thyme, sea salt [not needed if you use sausage]

• 16-20 oz tomato sauce, unflavored [or crushed tomatoes & a Tbsp tomato paste]
• 4 cloves garlic, roasted & crushed
• 3 Tbsp basil [I used the leftover pesto here]

• 1-1.5 cups ricotta
• 1 cup goat cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup spinach

• lasagna noodles [no I don't make my own, but be my guest]
• grated parmesan, to top & garnish

Preparation

• bake meat, onions & spices at 350 for 20 min
• meanwhile warm tomato sauce on low, stirring in roasted garlic, desired spices & eventually the baked meat mixture (in batches)
• in a separate bowl: blend ricotta with goat cheese, egg, spinach & a pinch of sea salt
• in a 9x13 pan: layer meat sauce, then noodles, then cheese mixture & repeat until you've used all the cheese
• top with grated parmesan & bake at 375 until golden-brown