Fantabulously Easy Under An Hour Fresh Mozzarella Food

HOMEMADE FRESH MOZZARELLA IN UNDER 30 MINUTES

Steps:

• Mix 1 ½ teaspoons of citric acid with one cup of lukewarm water, stir until dissolved, and set aside.
• Mix ¼ teaspoon of liquid rennet or crushed rennet tablet with ¼ cup of tepid water and set aside.
• Pour the gallon of milk into the stockpot and add the citric acid mixture. Stir well and heat over med-low heat. Stir gently every few minutes until the milk reaches 90 degrees. Remove the milk from the heat.
• Add in the rennet mixture and stir gently for 30 seconds. Cover the milk and let the rennet do its magic for five minutes.
• After five minutes, curd should form. You can test by slipping the wooden spoon in at the edge of the pot. The curd should pull away from the side, kind of like milk gelatin. If it's still a liquid, cover the pot again and let it sit for another five minutes.
• Once your curd is set, take your knife or spatula and make slices, all the way to the bottom of the curd in a cross-hatch pattern.
• Place the pot back over the heat, set to low, and bring the curds up to 105 degrees. You want to stir them occasionally being very gentle. Try not to break up the curds.
• Remove the pot from the heat and let it stand for about 5-10 minutes. Put a sieve or strainer over a bowl and using the large slotted spoon scoop out the curds and into the sieve. Gently press the curds down to squeeze out the whey. Once you've removed all of the curds to the strainer, let them drain for about 10 minutes. At this point, the curds will mostly be in one large mass. Remove the curd to a clean cutting board and cut into two or three similar-sized masses.
• While you're waiting, put the pot with the whey in it back on the stove and add the tablespoon of salt. Heat over medium heat to 180 degrees. Pour some of the hot whey into a bowl and add one of the curd blobs. Put your gloves on and get ready to stretch some cheese!
• Pick up the curd mass and check the temperature when it reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees begin to pull the cheese. Slowly pull your hands apart and let gravity do the work. Try not to tear the cheese; it should be smooth, silky and elastic. Between 3 to 5 stretches should do the trick.
• Wrap the cheese curd in on itself, forming a ball and tucking the edges up under the bottom.
• To set your cheese, you can place it in a bowl of ice water for 2-3 minutes or put it in a bowl of room-temperature salted whey for 10-15 minutes.
• Pat dry and enjoy!

RICKI'S 30 MINUTE MOZZARELLA MAGIC ( HOMEMADE )

Steps:

• The Milk: Make sure the milk you use for this cheese is NOT ULTRA- PASTEURIZED--Homogenized milk will work fine. --Fresh farm milk will also work well but we encourage you to try with 1 gallon of store bought whole milk first.--Low fat milk will work but the cheese will be drier and less flavorful.
• You will need:--A 6 to 8 quart stainless steel pot. Aluminum or cast iron will not work.--A stainless steel or strong plastic slotted spoon.--A two quart microwave safe mixing bowl--measuring spoons--A thermometer which will clearly read between 80 - 120 degrees F.
• Prepare your work area: Do not prepare any other food while you are making cheese. Put all food products away. Move all sponges, cloths and dirty towels away from your work surface, wipe your sink and stove with soap and water. Finally use your antibacterial cleaner to wipe down all surfaces.
• Process: Crush 1/4 tablet of rennet and dissolve in 1/4 cup of cool un-chlorinated water and set aside to use later.
• Heat the milk to 90F and add 1.5-2 teaspoons of citric acid. This will bring the milk to the proper acidity to stretch well later.
• As you approach 90F you will notice your milk beginning to curdle due to acidity and temperature.
• When at 90F add your rennet (which you prepared in previous step) to the milk and stir in a top to bottom motion for 30-60 seconds -- then stop.
• Now turn the heat off (it may continue to rise as high as 105F or so).
• Let the milk remain quiet for the next 3-5 minutes during which it will form a curd. A longer set will result in a firmer curd.
• Cut the curds into a 1" checkerboard pattern and then scoop with a slotted sp0on into a heat proof bowl to be used in the microwave. (If the curd is too soft at this point let sit for another minute or so).
• You will now press this curd gently with your hand, pouring off as much whey as possible. Reserve this whey to use in cooking or making ricotta.
• Microwave the curd on HI for 1 minute. You will notice more whey has run out of the curd. Drain off all whey as you did before.
• Quickly work the cheese with a spoon or your hands until it is cool enough to touch (rubber gloves will help since the cheese is almost too hot to touch at this point).
• Microwave 2 more times for 35 seconds each and repeat the kneading as in the last step. Drain all of the whey off as you go.
• Knead quickly now as you would bread dough until it is smooth and shiny. Add salt near the finish.
• At this point the cheese should be soft and pliable enough to stretch like taffy.
• It is ready to eat when it cools.
• Form it into a ball and drop into ice water to cool and refrigerate.
• When cold you can wrap in plastic wrap and it will last for several days but is best when eaten fresh.

RICKI CARROLL'S 30-MINUTE MOZZARELLA - HOMEMADE

Steps:

• Remember if you are using fresh, raw milk, you have to pasteurize it first (found above in the 'Description').
• Slowly heat the milk in a stainless steel pot to 55 degrees. While stirring, add the citric acid solution to the milk and mix thoroughly.
• Heat the milk to 88 degrees over medium-low heat. The milk will begin to curdle. (A NOTE that I found -- The bit about milk not curdling at 88F is wrong, since it curdles just fine at 68-72F for chevre, and 88F is a standard setting temp for cheddar cheese. When I make cheese from my raw farm milk this is where I set it to coagulate. I may raise the temp a bit due to high buttterfat or other seasonal changes to get the whey out but not by much. However, if you are using store-bought milk, we do find that it needs to be heated a bit higher for coagulation (93-97F) after setting, and then a bit more after that to release the whey.).
• Gently stir in the diluted rennet with an up-and-down motion for 30 seconds. Then let the milk sit still while heating it to between 100 and 105 degrees. In about 5 to 8 minutes, the curds should be pulling away from the sides of the pot. Turn off the heat.
• The curds will look like thick yogurt and have a bit of shine to them, and the whey will be clear. If the whey is still milky white, wait a few more minutes before turning off the heat. Scoop out the curds with a slotted spoon and put into a 2-quart microwavable bowl. Press the curds gently with your hands, pouring off as much whey as possible.
• Microwave the curds on high for 1 minute. (Without a Microwave follows below.).
• Drain off all excess whey. Gently fold the cheese over and over (as in kneading bread) with your hand or a spoon. This distributes the heat evenly throughout the cheese, which will not stretch until it is too hot to touch (145 degrees inside the curd). You may want to don rubber gloves at this point, as the cheese will be extremely hot to the touch.
• Microwave two more times for 35 seconds each; add salt to taste after the second time. After each heating, knead again to distribute the heat.
• Knead quickly until it is smooth and elastic. When the cheese stretches like taffy, it's done. If the curds break instead of stretch, they are too cool and need to be reheated.
• When the cheese is smooth and shiny, roll it into small balls and eat while warm. Or place them in a bowl of ice water for half an hour to bring the inside temperature down rapidly; this will produce a consistent smooth texture throughout the cheese. Although best eaten fresh, it can be stored in the refrigerator at this point.
• Note: If you are using store-bought milk, and your curds turn into the consistency of ricotta cheese and will not come together, switch brands of milk. It may have been heated at the factory at too high a temperature.
• *How to Make Quick Mozzarella Cheese Without a Microwave*.
• Follow the recipe for 30-minute Mozzarella until Step 5.
• When you get to Step 5, reserve the whey. Then put on heavy rubber gloves.
• Heat the reserved whey to at least 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Add 1/4 cup of cheese salt to the whey.
• Shape the curd into one or more balls, put them in a ladle or strainer, and dip them into the hot whey for several seconds.
• Knead the curd with spoons between each dip and repeat this process several times until the curd is smooth and pliable. When it stretches like taffy, it's done.
• Roll the cheese into small balls, and serve warm. Or place them in a bowl of ice water for half an hour to bring the inside temperature down rapidly. This will produce a consistent, smooth texture throughout.
• If you have any cheese leftover (highly unlikely!), cover and store in the refrigerator.

RICOTTA CHEESE AS A BY-PRODUCT OF MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Over medium heat cook the whey to 200*. Remove from heat and squeeze the juice of half of a lemon into the pot. If you don't have lemon use vinegar. Give it a gentle stir.
• Wait 5 minutes or so while you line a strainer, set over a large pot, with a cotton cloth. Cheesecloth will be too open to use so go for cotton or muslin.
• Ladle the curds and whey gently into the strainer and letting it drip into the pot for at least two hours. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of ricotta.
• To make dry ricotta for cannoli filling gently squeeze the cloth, twisting it to release the whey. The drier the better for your cannoli filling.
• Store in the refrigerator.

CROCK POT POLENTA WITH GOAT CHEESE AND FRESH MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Mix 2 cups of cold water with ground corn in crock pot so there are no lumps.
• The rest of the water should be hot. Mix that in until there are no lumps.
• Mix in the cheeses until mixed. Don't worry if it isn't melted right away.
• Put the crock pot on high and bake covered. After an hour or so, if you're around, give it a good stir.
• Mine has a four hour high and then goes to warm. I let it go overnight and in the morning it's perfect for a morning dish.
• I then put the leftovers in a Saran Wrap lined bread pan and put in the refrigerator to firm up. It can then be sliced and baked, pan fried, etc. however you love to use polenta. You can also leave out the cheese and increase the cornmeal by about half a cup for a plain polenta, add fresh or dried herbs (Italian herbs, fresh basil, garlic, etc all are amazing) to change things up.

CHICKEN MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Brown chicken in oil, in large skillet.
• Add spaghetti sauce. Simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through.
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Can also be served with pasta.

FANTABULOUSLY EASY UNDER AN HOUR FRESH MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Dissolve the rennet in the 1/4 cup of bottled water and set aside.
• In a large pot pour one cup of filtered or bottled water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of citric acid stirring to dissolve.
• Pour in one gallon of whole milk and heat to 88° over a medium burner.
• When your thermometer reaches 88° remove the pot from the heat source and add the reserved rennet mixture, stirring for 30 seconds.
• Let the curds set for 5 to 8 minutes. At this point I will press my hand down on the curds so gently to see if there is a clear yellow whey liquid - if not let it sit for another 2 or 3 minutes.
• With a long knife that reaches the bottom of your pot start cutting the curds north to south and then east to west into one inch cubes.
• Scoop out the curds carefully and ladle into a quart sized plastic bowl which is microwave safe. Press the curds and drain off the whey.
• Microwave on high for one minute and pour off the whey.
• Quickly knead the curds into a ball with your hands (wear kitchen gloves since the curds will be increasingly hot) or a silicone spatula. Pour off the whey.
• Microwave again for 30 seconds and quickly knead with a silicone spatula, pouring off whey. It's starting to get hot at this point so don't use your hands.
• Microwave a third time for 30 seconds and quickly knead with a silicone spatula and pour off the whey.
• The cheese should be nice and shiny and quite warm and nice and stretchy so wear gloves and knead and stretch the cheese like taffy. NOTE: I make the recipe with a silicone spatula and not my hands. I stretch and knead against the side of the bowl with excellent results and no scalded fingers. Add cheese salt at this point if you want. Separate into smaller balls if desired.
• Drop the ball into ice water to cool.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and eat within 24 hours. For best taste eat the same day.
• Some folks like to make a brine to keep the cheese balls in but I think it is best stored in plastic wrap and made the same day you want to eat it.
• When you become proficient you can add in yummy things at the same time you salt; try sun-dried tomatoes, basil, parsley, what suits you. You can roll prosciutto into it and slice it for a party.
• Save your whey for Recipe #427121! It will only add a few minutes to your kitchen time!