Delco re:View Fall 2017 - 34

www.DelcoBar.org

MAKING MOZZARELLA... MANGIA!

Make it Your Whey!

Thank you, Honorable William "Chip" Mackrides
The Delco re:View, in this issue, has offered you something of a curd rather than that off of the vine...

certainly, Mozzarella pairs well with just about anything!

ave you ever wondered,
"Where does Mozzarella come
from?" No, OK, how about
"Where can I get the best Mozzarella?"
Whether you pondered that or not, the
best Mozzarella is the Mozzarella you
can make in your own home in less
than an hour. Homemade mozzarella
is the most DELICIOUS because you
can make it your way (add salt, pepper,
garlic, whatever you want). Other than
a couple of ingredients that you can
keep on hand and equipment you likely
already have, "All you need is milk" (kinda has a Beatles ring to
it). It really is that easy; follow the directions below and you will
never have to buy mozzarella again, because you will make it,
your way.

Ingredients:
1. 1 gallon milk. Let the milk set out either in the gallon
container or in the pot until it gets to about 50 degrees. (Use
regular whole milk. Do not use ultra-pasteurized milk. Organic
milk is usually ultra-pasteurized. About $4.00/gallon.)
2. 1 ½-2 teaspoons Citric Acid divided. 1 teaspoon is dissolved
in water and the other one is sprinkled directly into the milk.
(The citric acid starts the separation of curds and whey and gives
the cheese its stretch. About $5.00/container.)
3. ¾-1 Rennet tablet crushed or liquid Rennet. (The Rennet
causes the milk to coagulate. Rennet tablets are available in
specialty stores or larger stores, usually in the baking or pudding
section. About $2.50/box.)
4. ½ cup water divided in 2. (Do not use chlorinated water.
Bottled water is fine.)
5. 1-2 teaspoons salt. (pepper optional)

Equipment:
1. 8+ quart pot either enameled or stainless steel, not aluminum,
cast iron or other reactive materials.
2. Cooking thermometer.
3. Measuring cup and measuring spoons.
4. Strainer or colander to strain the curds from the whey.
5. Curd knife or long thin knife to cut the curds.

34 | Fall 2017

6. Slotted spoon to stir the curds and cull
them out.
7. Large glass bowl for the drained off
whey.
8. Small glass bowl for the curds.
9. Cheesecloth.

Process:
1. Dissolve 1 tsp. of citric acid in ½ cup
bottled "unchlorinated" water. Add to
your milk and start to heat your milk as
you stir in another 1 tsp. of citric acid
directly (not dissolved in water).
2. Bring milk to 88-90 degrees and add 1 Rennet tablet dissolved
in ¼ cup of water. Stir slowly for 30 seconds, then remove
from heat and let it sit for 5-20 minutes (as long as it takes for
the curds to separate from the whey and form a solid mass of
pudding consistency).
3. Cut the whey into 1-inch squares, cutting
horizontally (it doesn't have to be neat or exact).
4. Put the pot back on the stove and heat to 105
degrees, stirring slowly for several minutes so that
the curds and whey are uniformly heated.
5. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
6. Use the slotted spoon to remove the curds from the whey and
deposit them in the colander, draining off the whey into the large
glass bowl.
7. Once drained, pour the curds into the smaller glass bowl and
add salt.
8. Pour the whey from the pot into the large glass bowl to be
used to make ricotta or soup.
9. The smaller glass bowl of curds should now be microwaved
for 60 seconds.
10. Remove from microwave and press the whey from the
cheese, pouring it into the large glass bowl. Work the cheese,
stretching and kneading it. Repeat this procedure two more times
but microwave for only 30 seconds. Once the cheese is stretchy
like taffy and can be molded into a shiny ball you are finished.
Leave it sit in a small pool of whey.

CONGRATULATIONS! NOW MANGIA!

http://www.DelcoBar.org

Delco re:View Fall 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Delco re:View Fall 2017