Plain cottage cheese

Makes: 1 cup

Pour milk into a heavy-bottomed pot. Place on low heat then slowly heat to 88°C, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon to prevent milk from burning on the bottom.
Remove from heat, add vinegar and stir through. You will see the milk start to curdle at this point. Cover the pot and rest for 30 minutes.
While its resting, line a colander with cheesecloth, muslin or tea towel. Place the lined colander over an empty bowl to catch the whey.
After 30 minutes, use a slotted spoon to move the cottage cheese solids from the pot into the colander and leave to drain for 30 minutes.
To wring out the cheese, gather the ends of the cloth and tightly wrap the curds into a ball. Hold it in one hand and run cold water over it while squeezing gently with your other hand.
Once the cheese is cooled down from rinsing, place into a clean bowl. Using a whisk or wooden spoon, break cheese into the desired size curds.
If using cream, gently stir into the curds at this point, for a creamier cottage cheese.
Chill for at least an hour, up to 5-7 days in the fridge.

For a lemon pepper cottage cheese: Combine 1 cup homemade plain cottage cheese with 1 tsp minced garlic, zest and juice of 1 lemon, 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley.

For a jalapeno popper cottage cheese: Combine 1 cup homemade plain cottage cheese with 1 finely chopped jalapeno, 1 tsp smoked paprika, juice and zest of 1 lime and 2 Tbsp finely chopped coriander.

For a za’atar cottage cheese: Combine 1 cup homemade plain cottage cheese with 1 tsp of each: ground cumin, ground coriander, 1 Tbsp sumac, 1 Tbsp sesame seeds, ½ tsp chili flakes and 1 Tbsp finely chopped mint.