Quote:
So, how do you make homemade mozzarella?
Laura, don't know what recipe you have or by whom, but would be interested to know the who and compare the how....
OK, I have TWO recipes for homemade mozzarella...they both have the same ingredients, the difference is in the making of it. Both take 30 minutes, if you can believe that! It's another one of those that I say by the time you put your shoes on, to and fro from the store, you can have this ready to eat! The TWO ways to make it -- stovetop, and
microwave!
I will post the recipes below but DO NOT freak out at the length. As stated several times in prior posts, I'm making a family heirloom cookbook for my sons and the recipes are written
very elementary, more rhetoric than.....whatever.
Also, I have a recipe for bread made from the whey. OMG! Heavenly! If anyone wants that, just ask and will post it. This post is gonna be a looooonnnnngggg one!
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HOMEMADE MOZZARELLA -- 30 MINUTE -- MICROWAVE VERSION
Mozzarella cheese was first made by the monks of San Lorenzo di Capusa, Italy. It was made from sheep’s milk. In the 16th century, when water buffalo were introduced to Naples, the rich milk of those animals started to be used. This recipe is a quick and easy way to make fresh mozzarella at home in less than 30 minutes. Make sure the milk you use for this cheese is NOT “ultra” pasteurized. The proteins are denatured in the process and will leave you with ricotta rather than mozzarella, which isn’t a bad thing! It’s just not what you are looking for!
For a party treat, slice the mozzarella and arrange it alternating with ripe tomato slices. Drizzle with fresh pesto, scatter with sun-dried tomatoes that are coarsely chopped and tope with a smattering of pignola (pine nuts). Serve with crusty bread (see recipe for Italian bread made with the whey from the cheese!) and wine! Ahh! Heaven!
SUPPLIES
Three small bowls or cups (at least 1/2 cup capacity)
Large sauce pot or Dutch oven (must be stainless steel)
Candy thermometer or other cooking thermometer
Microwave oven
Large slotted spoons, stainless steel
Microwavable bowl
Large bowl (to catch the whey)
Timer
INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 level teaspoons citric acid
1/4 cup cool water from the well or spring**
1 gallon pasteurized whole milk*
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon lipase powder, optional, (use of this makes for a “stronger” flavor of mozzarella. Available at health food stores)
1/4 cup cool water from the well or spring
1/4 teaspoon liquid rennet (or 1/4 of a rennet tablet. Available at health food stores, pharmacy, or supermarket by the ice cream, ice cream making supplies, or ice cream toppings, syrups, etc.)
1/4 cup cool water from the well or spring**
1 teaspoon salt, optional
DIRECTIONS
1. Thoroughly dissolve the citric acid in the first 1/4 cup of water.
2. Thoroughly dissolve the lipase powder in the second 1/4 cup water, if using, and let stand for 10 minutes. This will make a “stronger” flavored mozzarella cheese.
3. Dilute (or dissolve, if using the tablet) the rennet in the last 1/4 cup of water.
4. Make sure the milk is at 55 degrees.
5. While stirring, add the citric acid solution to the milk (at 55 degrees F). If you are using the lipase, add it now.
6. Heat the milk to 88 degrees F over medium-low heat. The milk will start to curdle.
7. Gently stir in the diluted rennet with an up and down motion, while heating the milk to between 100 and 105 degrees F.
8. Turn off the heat.
9. The curds should be pulling away from the sides of the pot. When this happens, they are ready to scoop out. This takes approximately 3 to 5 minutes to happen.
10. The curds will look like thick yogurt and will have a bit of shine to them. The whey will be clear. If the whey is still milky white, wait a few more minutes.
11. Scoop out the curds with a slotted spoon and put them into a two (2) quart microwavable bowl.
12. Press the curds gently with your hands, pouring off as much whey as possible.
13. Save the whey! (see recipes for use of this!)
14. Microwave the curds on high for one (1) minute.
15. Drain off all of the excess whey.
16. Gently fold the cheese over and over, like you were kneading bread. Do this by hand or with a large spoon. This process distributes the heat evenly throughout the cheese, which will not stretch until it is too hot to touch (145 degrees inside the curd.
17. Microwave two more times for 35 seconds each.
18. Add salt to taste after the second time (optional).
19. After each heating, knead again to distribute the heat.
20. Knead quickly until it is smooth and elastic. When the cheese stretches like taffy, it is done. If the curds break instead of stretch, they are still too cool and need to be reheated.
21. When the cheese is smooth and shiny, roll it into small balls and eat while warm!
22. You can also place them in a bowl of ice water for 1/2 hour to bring the inside temperature down rapidly. This will produce a consistent smooth texture throughout the cheese.
23. Although best eaten fresh, if you must wait, cover and store in the refrigerator.
NOTE: If the curds turn into the consistency of ricotta cheese and will not come together, change the brand of milk you are using. It may have been heat treated at the factory at a too high of a temperature.
NOTE #2: If all you can find is “ultra” pasteurized milk, a very delicious option is to use dry milk powder and cream or half and half. Reconstitute enough milk power overnight to make one (1) gallon of milk. When making mozzarella, use seven (7) pints of this milk mixed with one (1) pint of the cream or half and half. (Because of the ratio, the cream you use can be “ultra” pasteurized.
* You may use skim milk, but the yield will be lower and the cheese will be drier. If you add the lipase to this cheese, you may have to use a bit more rennet, as lipase makes the cheese softer. Try the recipe without it first and experiment later.
PERSONAL NOTES:
When I store this cheese, I keep in stored tightly covered in the whey. This keeps the cheese from drying out, but it usually doesn’t last longer than a day because it is soooo good!
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HOMEMADE MOZZARELLA CHEESE -- 30 MINUTE -- STOVETOP VERSION
Mozzarella cheese was first made by the monks of San Lorenzo di Capusa, Italy. It was made from sheep’s milk. In the 16th century, when water buffalo wee introduced to Naples, the rich milk of those animals started to be used. This recipe is a quick and easy way to make fresh mozzarella at home in less than 30 minutes. Make sure the milk you use for this cheese is NOT “ultra” pasteurized. The proteins are denatured in the process and will leave you with ricotta rather than mozzarella, which isn’t a bad thing! It’s just not what you are looking for!
For a party treat, slice the mozzarella and arrange it alternating with ripe tomato slices. Drizzle with fresh pesto, scatter with sun-dried tomatoes that are coarsely chopped and top with a smattering of pignola (pine nuts). Serve with crusty bread (see recipe for Italian bread made with the whey from the cheese!) and wine! Ahh! Heaven!
SUPPLIES
Three small bowls or cups (at least 1/2 cup capacity)
Large sauce pot or Dutch oven (must be stainless steel)
Candy thermometer or other cooking thermometer
Large slotted spoons, stainless steel
Heatproof bowl
Large bowl (to catch the whey)
Timer
Heavy rubber gloves
INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 level teaspoons citric acid
1/4 cup cool water from the well or spring**
1 gallon pasteurized whole milk*
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon lipase powder optional, (use of this makes for a “stronger” flavor of mozzarella. Available at health food stores or pharmacy)
1/4 cup cool water from the well or spring
1/4 teaspoon liquid rennet (or 1/4 of a rennet tablet. Available at health food stores, pharmacy, in major supermarkets by the ice cream, ice cream making supplies or ice cream condiments)
1/4 cup cool water from the well or spring**
1 teaspoon salt, optional
DIRECTIONS
1. Thoroughly dissolve the citric acid in the first 1/4 cup of water.
2. Thoroughly dissolve the lipase powder in the second 1/4 cup water, if using, and let stand for 10 minutes. This will make a “stronger” flavored mozzarella cheese.
3. Dilute (or dissolve, if using the tablet) the rennet in the last 1/4 cup of water.
4. Make sure the milk is at 55 degrees.
5. While stirring, add the citric acid solution to the milk (at 55 degrees F). If you are using the lipase, add it now.
6. Heat the milk to 88 degrees F over medium-low heat. The milk will start to curdle.
7. Gently stir in the diluted rennet with an up and down motion, while heating the milk to between 100 and 105 degrees F.
8. Turn off the heat.
9. The curds should be pulling away from the sides of the pot. When this happens, they are ready to scoop out. This takes approximately 3 to 5 minutes to happen.
10. The curds will look like thick yogurt and will have a bit of shine to them. The whey will be clear. If the whey is still milky white, wait a few more minutes.
11. Scoop out the curds with a slotted spoon and put them into a two (2) quart heatproof bowl.
12. Put on the heatproof gloves.
13. Press the curds gently with your hands, pouring off as much whey as possible.
14. Save the whey! (see recipes for use of this!)
15. Heat the reserved whey to at least 175 degrees F.
16. Add 1/4 cup of cheese salt to the whey.
17. Shape the curd into one or ore balls. (can make bocconccini at this point!)
18. Place balls in a ladle or strainer and dip them into the hot whey for several seconds.
19. Knead the curd with spoons between each dip and repeat this process several times until the curd is smooth and pliable.
20. Knead quickly until it is smooth and elastic. When the cheese stretches like taffy, it is done. If the curds break instead of stretch, they are still too cool and need to be reheated.
21. When the cheese is smooth and shiny, roll it into small balls and eat while warm!
22. You can also place them in a bowl of ice water for 1/2 hour to bring the inside temperature down rapidly. This will produce a consistent smooth texture throughout the cheese.
23. Although best eaten fresh, if you must wait, cover and store in the refrigerator.
NOTE: If the curds turn into the consistency of ricotta cheese and will not come together, change the brand of milk you are using. It may have been heat treated at the factory to a too high of a temperature.
NOTE #2: If all you can find is “ultra” pasteurized milk, a very delicious option is to use dry milk powder and cream or half and half. Reconstitute enough milk power overnight to make one (1) gallon of milk. When making mozzarella, use seven (7) pints of this milk mixed with one (1) pint of the cream or half and half. (Because of the ratio, the cream you use can be “ultra” pasteurized.
* You may use skim milk, but the yield will be lower and the cheese will be drier. If you add the lipase to this cheese, you may have to use a bit more rennet, as lipase makes the cheese softer. Try the recipe without it first and experiment later.
PERSONAL NOTES:
When I store this cheese, I keep in stored tightly covered in the whey. This keeps the cheese from drying out, but it usually doesn’t last longer than a day because it is soooo good!