Line a colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth and set the colander over a tall bowl to catch the whey; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 quart whole milk, ½ cup heavy cream, ¼ cup whole plain Greek yogurt, 1½ teaspoons lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt; whisk until evenly combined.

Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally so it heats evenly. Continue cooking until the milk mixture begins to curdle and you can see white curds separating from a yellowish whey.

As soon as curdling occurs, carefully pour the curds and whey into the cheesecloth-lined colander.

Let the ricotta drain in the colander for about 5 minutes for a creamier texture or about 15 minutes for a drier ricotta; tilt the bowl or gently lift the cheesecloth to help drain if needed.

Transfer the drained ricotta to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

To serve, drizzle with olive oil and top with lemon zest, freshly ground black pepper, and flaky sea salt as desired; note that this ricotta is already salted, so adjust additional seasoning accordingly.