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Mozzarella Cheese

Author Becky's Mindful Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1 gallon whole milk ideally: non homogenized, organic, from grass fed cows
  • 1 to 1 1/2 tsp citric acid -dissolved in 1/2 -1 cup non-chlorinated water
  • 1/4 tablet rennet or 1/4tsp -dissolved in 1/4 cup non-chlorinated water
  • 1 - 1 1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
  • thermometer
  • strainer
  • rubber gloves

Instructions

  • In a large non reactive pot bring fill with water and warm to about 165 degrees
  • In another large non reactive pot warm 1 gallon of milk to about 90 degrees, stir in citric acid while it warms up.
  • Add rennet and stir for 30 seconds. Cover, and remove from heat for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes the milk should have formed together and will be firm to the touch.
  • Using a long knife or spatula cut through the firm curds making a checkerboard pattern. Lightly mixing the curds warm back up to 105 degrees.

OR

  • Stir in rennet at 90 degrees, stir for 30 seconds. Continue to let warm up to 105 degrees. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
  • Using a slotted spoon, transfer the curds to a strainer, adding the salt as you spoon the curds.
  • Pressing down on the curds with the back of a spoon, strain out the whey.
  • Remove half of the curds and set aside in a bow. Place the strainer with the other half of the curds in the pot of hot water ( use gloves at this point). Reach into the strainer and start stretching the warm curds and form them into a ball. You can form into small balls or sticks. (We will practice this in class)
  • Serve right away or store in fridge with water, whey and some salt.
  • Place in a bowl with cold water and some when.