MOZZARELLA CHEESE
Ingredients
1: mineral water 1/4 cup
2: mineral water 1/4 cup
3: rennet liquid 1/4 tsp
4: citric acid 1 & 1/2 tsp
5: whole milk 8 pints
6: salt 1 tsp
Instructions
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1: measure out 1/4 cup of water. Stir in the citric acid until dissolved.
2: pour the milk into the pot. Stir in the citric acid solution. Set the pot over medium-high heat and warm to 90F, stirring gently.
3: measure out 1/4 cup of water in a separate bowl. Stir in the rennet until dissolved.
4: Now remove the pot from heat and gently stir in the rennet solution. Count to 10 seconds. Stop stirring, cover the pot, and let it sit undisturbed for 10 minutes.
5: after 10 minutes, the milk should have been set, and it should look and feel soft. If it is still liquid, re-cover the pot and let it sit for another five minutes. Once the milk has been set, cut it into uniform curds: make several parallel cuts vertically through the curds and then several parallel cuts horizontally, creating a grid-like pattern. Make sure your knife reaches the bottom of the pan.
6: Now place the pot back on the stove over medium heat and warm the curds to 105∞F. Stir slowly as the curds warm, but try not to break them up too much.
7: cover and let it rest for a further 5 to 1o minutes, remove it from the stove.
8: now remove the crud and place it in a sieve, strain the water as much as possible.
9: Microwave the curds for one minute. Drain off the whey. Put on your rubber gloves and fold the curds over themselves a few times. At this point, the curds will still be very loose and cottage cheese-like.
10: Microwave the curds for another 30 seconds and check their internal temperature. If the temperature has reached 135F, continue stretching the curds. If not, continue microwaving in 30-second bursts until they reach temperature. The curds need to reach this temperature to stretch properly.
11: sprinkle the salt over the cheese and squish it with your fingers to incorporate. Using both hands, stretch and fold the curds repeatedly. It will start to tighten, become firm, and take on a glossy sheen. When this happens, you are ready to shape the mozzarella. Make one large ball.
12: mozzarella can be used immediately or kept refrigerated for a week. To refrigerate, place the mozzarella in a small container. Mix a teaspoon of salt with a cup of cool whey and pour this over the mozzarella. Cover and refrigerate.
13: enjoy.
