I didn't have the cream, but made ricotta for the first time in my 70+ years. It's delicious and I'll make lasagna and use part of the ricotta tomorrow. The whey looked so nutritious and I decided to make a pot of potato/corn/carrot soup with it. I sauteed onions, celery, garlic, added carrots, potatoes, frozen corn and seasonings. It's healthy and very good. Now I just have to find hungry people to help eat it. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Next time, I'll be sure to use the cream.

Here are some tips I found out: 1. A nonreactive saucepan refers to using any type of pot except aluminum and copper which would react with the acids in the milk; a heavy-bottomed pot is prefered to help prevent burning of the curds. 2. After the ricotta is made it can be stored up to 5-7 days, but may NOT be frozen; if it smells rancid then throw it out. 3. When you drain the ricotta in the cheesecloth, the longer you drain it the drier it will be, and the less you drain it the creamier it will be. 4. If you don't have a thermometer, then keep an eye on the cooking mixture until it separates into curds and whey (the milk has reached it's boiling point/scalding); remove from heat and either let the mixture cool/settle a bit, or scoop out the curds with a slotted spoon. UPDATE: The curds and whey separated nicely. I let the cheese cool down first, then I ladled the whey into a large bowl, and then I used a small colander to scoop out the curds into a clean dish cloth (I didn't have the cheese cloth on hand). Now it's hanging over the sink to drain and then I will refrigerate it over night. I tasted the ricotta and it tastes fresher than when you buy it at the store. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing a classic, Orcashottie!

I'd say this will yeild about 2 lbs of cheese. You can freeze your whey in cup containers, use it in pancakes/waffles, muffins and bread. Anywhere a recipe calls for water. Be creative, it's worth it.

What is a 'nonreactive' pan? Is a reactive pan aluminum?

This recipe can be very useful to me as I make a lot of Italian dishes and Ricotta is like Ice Cream to me... I can sit and eat it from the container. I also have the question that the first reviewer asked, how much exactly does this make? And how long will it last, can it be frozen, and what should we do with the Whey?