While we were living in Corn Island, Nicaragua I got pretty desperate for any food from home. One day my niece mistakenly bought powdered milk while on a grocery shopping errand. It can be pretty crazy buying groceries in a third world island store. I thought “What am I going to do with all of this powdered milk?”
Then I stumbled on these recipes from websites specializing in food storage and apocalypse survival. Making ricotta cheese from powdered milk… could it really work? I decided to give it a try and much to my delight it was easy and worked!!!! Next thing you know I’m working up a batch of calzones from local fresh pork sausage and homemade pizza dough! I foraged for some Purslane (an edible weed) that I used instead of spinach. Hmmm Ricotta Sausage Calzone. Evidently a meal you could enjoy during an apocalypse.
Never be without Ricotta cheese again! Think of the things you can make: Lasagna, calzones, Cannoli! All from a dry pantry and anywhere in the world.
Directions:
Mix 8 cups of water with 1 1/2 cups of powdered milk (or follow the equation on the package of powdered milk for 8 cups milk)
Bring just up to bubbling but don’t allow to bubble
Add 1/3 cup white vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt
It will instantly curdle when you add the vinegar. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Line a colander with cheese cloth or an old t-shirt or pillow case, whatever you have. Spoon the curds into the colander and squeeze the cheesecloth to remove the curds from the whey. Allow to rest, spoon into a container and keep in the refridgerator for a week.
Note: you could also make this from regular milk, just pick it up after the step where you added the powdered milk to the water.
For More “Homestead” Articles see our Archive stories:
The Beginning of a Blog (Published May 18, 2017)
The Cherry Tree (Published May 20, 2017)
How to Roast Your Own Coffee Beans (Published May 22, 2017)
Successful Square Foot Gardening (Published May 23, 2017)
Yosemite (Published June 7, 2017)
My Tiny House (Published June 15, 2017)
Making Noyaux (French Bitter Almond Extract from Stone fruit pits) Published August 7, 2017)
Sweet & Spicy Pickles (Published July 21, 2017
Classic Canned Peaches (Published August 6, 2018)
