Lemon Queso Blanco Crumbles with Cucumber Pita

Steps

1. Wash your hands and use a clean heavy pot, spoon, colander and thermometer. Line the colander with damp, clean cheesecloth and set it over a bowl.
2. Pour the milk into the pot and heat over medium, stirring often so it doesn't scorch, until steaming and 190°F (88°C), about 20 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat. Drizzle in the cider vinegar while stirring gently. Within a minute, white curds will clump and separate from thin, yellow-green whey. If the whey still looks milky, keep stirring gently for another minute.
4. Let the pot rest undisturbed for 10 minutes so the curds firm up.
5. Ladle the curds and whey into the lined colander and let drain for 10 minutes until the dripping slows.
6. Transfer the cheese, still in the cloth, to a bowl and stir in the salt, lemon zest, half of the dill and the black pepper. Gather the cloth, twist gently, set it back in the colander over the bowl, and refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below for 45 minutes to finish draining. Expect about 300 g of cheese, roughly 75 g (1/3 cup) per serving.
7. Meanwhile, toss the cucumber and cherry tomatoes with half of the olive oil.
8. Warm the pita wedges in a dry skillet for about 1 minute per side.
9. Crumble the cheese over the cucumber and tomatoes, drizzle with the remaining half of the olive oil and scatter the remaining half of the dill. Serve with the pita.
10. Refrigerate any leftover cheese promptly, covered, and use within 3 days. Do not age it.