I would never have dreamed of making Mozzarella in Italy, why? The art is already perfected! But here in America it’s a skill worth having! Mozzarella is a cheese that has been in production in Italy since the mid 1500’s and comes from the Compania Region, the area of Naples. The word Mozzarella comes from the root word Mozza meaning “to pinch off or cut off”, because this is how the Mozzarella balls are formed, from pinching a piece off to form larger balls or the small “Bocconcini” meaning “bite sized” from the root word Bocca “mouth” and “-ini” for small.
Mozzarella is one of the quickest and easiest cheeses to make, it can be made in under a half hour and doesn’t need to be aged. In fact, it’s best eaten the same day as you make it. The trick is to stretch it to give it its signature texture, form it into balls and store it in salted whey. Mozzarella is always eaten the day it is made if it is purchased in Italy from the shop that makes it (Caseificio meaning dairy or place cheese is made) When it’s fresh and from the source, Italians won’t dress the Mozzerella with olive oil or balsamic. They eat it with a knife and fork just the way it is. That way you can taste the wonder of it. They believe you only need to add other things like olive oil or balsamic, when it needs a little help, not fresh. If there is any Mozzarella balls left over until the next day, that’s when they melt it on pizza, lasagna or in marinara like Gnocchi alla Sorrentino.
More than a dozen times I have been invited to someone’s house for dinner and a guest brought a whole bag of Mozzerella balls in the salted whey liquid from a Caseificio as a contribution to the dinner. The perfect appetizer! Why not try making fresh mozzarella yourself?
Equipment:
- 8” thermometer
- 19” knife for cutting curds
- 15” stainless steel stirring spoon
- 8 ounce glass measuring cup
- 8 cup glass measuring container
- Mesh skimmer
- Gloves
- 1 large pot
- large glass bowls
Ingredients:
- 1 Gallon whole milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Citric acid
- 1/2 teaspoon Rennet
- Purified non chlorinated water
- 1/4 cup non Iodized salt
Directions:
- Sanitize equipment by bringing to a boil
- Dissolve 1 1/2 teaspoons citric acid in 1 cup non chlorinated water
- Prepare rennet by mixing 1/4 cup non chlorinated water, add 1/2 teaspoon rennet
- Pour citric acid mixture into pot, add 1 gallon cold milk, stir well
- Put in thermometer, Heat milk slowly to 90 degrees.
- Pour rennet mixture in slowly for 30 seconds (set timer) turn off.
- Cover and Let rest for 5 minutes while it coagulates.
- Use knife to test for curd,
- Cut the curd in 1” cubes.
- Cook the curd slowly bring temperature from 90 to 110.
- While this is happening gently stir the curds
- Turn off the heat at 110, cover and allow to cook 5 minutes.
- Remove curds with wire mesh into large glass bowl, drain the whey out of the bowl.
- Add 1/4 cup non iodized salt to whey and stir it in. Pour half of the whey into a glass bowl and place in the refrigerator or add some ice to make it cold (this is to immerse and keep the finished Mozzerella balls in. Store Mozzerella for up to 24 hours this way.
- Heat the remaining whey to 175-190 (to assist in the stretch)
- Stretch the curds about 6-8 inches and fold over itself 3 times.Don’t stretch too many times or it will be rubbery
- If the cheese is too stiff to stretch, reheat it. Do this by using a ladle and plunging it in hot whey, allowing it to sit a few minutes in the hot whey. A good stretch is achieved when the water is at the temperature of 175-190
- Form a ball or balls and store in salted cold whey until use.
