Here are two recipes that go together! Home made cheese and bread! The cheese requires just three ingredients, and then you make the bread from the leftover (whey).  It is a soft white cheese, similar to a ricotta, you can drain it more to make it more like a cream cheese consistency, or drain it less and leave more curd to it can be used to replace ricotta in just about any recipe!

1 gallon whole milk

1/2 cup lemon juice or 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar. If you use lemon juice, PLEASE ONLY USE FRESH SQUEEZED!
1/4 teaspoon cheese salt(if you have it)  if not, kosher salt will work

In a non reactive pot, such as an enamel pot, heat the milk slowly until it reaches 120 degrees, stirring constantly.  Once milk reaches 120 degrees, remove from heat and stir in lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, small curds will start to form almost immediately. Continue to stir slowly and gently for 5 to 10 minutes.   Line a colander with cheese cloth, and set in a bowl.  (I set my colander on a smaller bowl inside the big bowl, so the curds can drain instead of sitting in whey.   Pour off the whey into another container. Gather cheese cloth, and using string, tie it up, so it hangs over the colander and larger bowl. I hang mine from a knob on the kitchen cabinet, so it drips into the bowl.  Let drain for 15 to 30 minutes. The longer it drains, the drier the cheese will be. Remove from cheese cloth, stir in cheese salt, or kosher salt. This is where it gets fun, you can eat it plain, just like this, or you can add other seasonings to it. I love to add crushed black pepper, red pepper flakes and rosemary.   You might want to divide your cheese into two or three different bowls and experiment with different flavors. You can use this as a spread, use it in lasagna, or whatever way you want! It’s really GOOD!

Now, with the leftover whey….. it’s time to make Country Whey Bread!

2 1/2 cups whey

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp yeast

4 1/2 cups unbleached flour, plus a handful

1 tsp salt

1tbsp olive oil

Warm the whey in a sauce pan until it reaches 110 degrees.   Place in a bowl.  Stir in sugar and yeast.  Let yeast proof until it is bubbly and creamy. Stir in salt and 4 1/2 cups flour.  Mix together, and turn out onto flat floured surface to knead. VIGOROUSLY knead for 5 minutes.  Adding small amounts of flour to prevent sticking.  The dough will be very wet and soft. Do not add too much flour…..  again, here is where you would add extra ingredients for added flavor. I usually add 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic, 1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, along with chopped rosemary and chives! Oil a bowl, and turn dough into it, rotating so it is coated with the oil.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and then a tea towel. Place in a warm spot and let rise for 2 hours.  It will more than double in size. Divide dough in two and shape into oblongs. The easiest way is to cut with a knife and then roll the halves like you are rolling up a towel. The loaves should be about 10 inches long. Let rise for another hour. Preheat oven to 475 degrees with a tray of water on the bottom rack. Just before putting loaves in the oven, slash each loaf down the side about 1/2 inch deep. Dust the tops with flour. Bake 30 to 40 minutes removing the tray of water after 10 minutes. Bake until golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped with the bottom of your fingers. You can freeze your leftover whey to use at a later date.  You can substitute milk OR water in just about any recipe.