Cracked-Pepper Ricotta Crumbles with Cucumber and Dill

Steps

1. Wash your hands and set out a clean heavy pot, slotted spoon, colander, cheesecloth or a clean thin towel, and an instant-read thermometer. Line the colander with the cloth and set it over a bowl.
2. Pour the whole milk into the pot and heat over medium, stirring often so it doesn't scorch, until steaming and about 190°F (88°C) on the thermometer.
3. Take the pot off the heat and slowly stir in the cider vinegar in one gentle pass. Within a minute the milk curdles: soft white curds clump together and float apart from a thin, yellow-green, nearly clear whey.
4. Leave the pot undisturbed for 10 minutes so the curds firm up.
5. Ladle the curds and whey into the lined colander and let drain for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature, until the curds are moist but no longer dripping. For drier crumbles, drain longer only in the fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below.
6. Tip the curds into a clean bowl and gently fold in the salt and half of the cracked black pepper, keeping the curds in loose crumbles. You'll have about 300 g of fresh cheese, roughly 75 g (about 1/3 cup) per serving.
7. Refrigerate the cheese at least 20 minutes to chill and set.
8. Meanwhile, toss the cucumber, cherry tomatoes and dill with the lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl.
9. Warm the pita wedges in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute per side.
10. Spoon the cucumber salad onto 4 plates, scatter the ricotta crumbles over it and finish with the remaining half of the cracked black pepper. Serve with the warm pita.
11. Refrigerate any leftover cheese promptly in a covered container and use within 3 days; this is a fresh cheese and is not meant to be aged.