Pour the milk and 1 cup of cream into a pot and place on the stove over low heat. Gently heat the milk, stirring occasionally, until it begins to steam and look frothy.

Remove the pot from the heat and gently stir in the lemon juice. Let the pot sit for about 15-20 minutes as the milk cools and curdles.

In the meantime, line a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth (you can also use a few layers of thick paper towel) and place over a larger bowl.

Pour the curdled milk into the cheesecloth and let it drain for 45 minutes to 2 hours. The longer you let it rest, the thicker the ricotta will be.

Preheat the oven to 250° degrees Fahrenheit. While the ricotta is draining, slice the cherry tomatoes in half and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Generously drizzle the tomatoes with good olive oil, and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and sprigs of thyme. Mix them with your hands so everything is evenly coated, and then arrange them cut-side up.

Place the tomatoes in the oven for approximately 2-3 hours, until they are shriveled, deepened in color, and concentrated in flavor and sweetness.

When you’re ready to serve, transfer the ricotta to a bowl and stir in the additional cream, a little splash at a time, until the ricotta is fluffy and thick but pourable.