Fresh Mozzarella

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp citric acid
• 1 gallon raw or whole milk
• 1/4 tsp liquid rennet diluted in 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tbsp sea salt
• candy thermometer to check liquid temps

Directions:

Pour the milk into a large pot, put on the stove on low/med-med heat. Add citric acid to the milk and mix well. Stir in the diluted rennet with an up and down motion, continue heating until the temperature reaches 105ºF. Turn off the heat and let the curd set for 5-10 minutes.


Scoop out the curds with a slotted spoon (or strain them with a fine mesh strainer) and put them into a large heat resistant bowl. Press the curds gently with your hands, pouring off as much whey as possible into a bowl. Reserve the whey. Pour the whey back into the pot and heat it to at least 175ºF degrees. Add salt to the whey and stir.


Ladle the hot whey over the curd in the bowl (just to cover) knead the curd with 2 wooden spoons until the curd is smooth and pliable. The internal temperature of the curd needs to reach around 165 degrees to become pliable and stretchy. If the curd breaks, it needs to be reheated (by pouring more hot whey over the top). If you want to add any dried or fresh herbs like oregano, garlic, thyme or rosemary, do it at this point.


Pick the curd up with your hands and quickly squeeze into a ball, tucking the ends under to make smooth. Go fast, will set immediately.


Eat immediately while warm, or if you want to store it for later, place your balls of mozzarella into a bowl of very cold water (you can add more salt if you want, to help intensify the cheese flavor). Let sit a few minutes. Wrap and store in the fridge!

Reactions:
This was so stinking fun to do! Who wouldn't like playing with, smelling like, and stretching cheese???? Kairi and I helped mom to make this, and we all ate it up! We didn't even put it on anything to eat it, we would just pick up a ball and pop it in our mouths. Yummy!