Can the whey that's produced when making ricotta be used to make lacto-fermented pickles? Thank you. ;o)

I also use leftover ricotta whey (which is very bland) in fruit smoothies. It is kind of like an instant sorbet and really lets the fruit flavors come through, while adding some protein and body.

Thanks, SCP, this is very helpful. And you're right. The whey does make a fabulous sandwich bread, though you have to be extra careful with the second rise, because the whey lightens the dough and can make the crumb a bit too airy, if you're not careful. I posted a ricotta whey barley bread recipe last week, a few days after making a batch to use in Jennifer Perillo's excellent Homemade Manicotti. I plan to use some whey tonight as well in a soup I'm making . .. . that should use up a bit of it. But then, my other son just came home from college for spring break, so I'll be making another batch of the manicotti for him. I'll be making ricotta again for that, so I'll have more whey. Ah, the rest of the world should have my problems, really. Thanks again. ;o)

I would not use cooked whey for lacto-fermentation--when milk is heated over 115 degrees all of the "good" bacteria are killed, making it less reliable as a preservative. For uncooked fermented products, it is definitely worthwhile to make your whey with raw milk from a trusted source. On the more cheery side, I understand that ricotta whey is a wonderful replacement for water in bread doughs!