PREPARATION:

Method

1. Turn on the double boiler to allow the water to heat up before adding the insert filled with cold milk. The milk will heat up faster if the water is already hot. Pour the cold goat's milk into the double boiler insert. Once the water is hot, place the insert into the double boiler. Heat the milk to 195 degrees F.
2. While the milk heats up, you can get prepared to make the ricotta. Set the colander on top of the stockpot and line the colander with the cheesecloth. Set the baking soda, metal bowl, spoon, and ladle within reach. Measure out the appropriate amount of vinegar. Once the milk has reached 195 degrees F, very gently stir in the vinegar. You only need to move the ladle up and down a couple of times to properly distribute the vinegar. Stirring too much will break the curd. It only takes about 20 seconds for the milk to curdle.
3. Ladle the curd into the cheesecloth lined colander. Once the colander is full, allow the liquid to drain. You can gently pull the cheesecloth back and forth to expedite the process. Leave the curd slightly on the wetter side, as it will dry a little when it cools. Put the drained curd into the metal container and add the baking soda a little at a time. Then, stir gently. Allow the ricotta to cool before putting it into a sealed container. You will need to periodically stir the ricotta while it is cooling to prevent it from drying out on top.