Hard mozzarella recipe. How to make homemade mozzarella cheese. Milk for making mozzarella

It's very easy to make mozzarella at home if you follow the detailed recommendations from our selection of recipes. Delicious!

Whole cow's milk - 2 l,
Purified water - 0.1 l,
Coarse salt - 2 tbsp.,
Rennet - ¼ tsp,
Lemon - ½ pc.
Aromatic herbs (basil, dill) - optional

To make mozzarella at home, you need to use milk that has not been pasteurized. Squeeze the juice out of half a lemon using a citrus press; if you don’t have lemon, you can replace it with ⅓ tsp. citric acid. Dilute rennet in cold water, which can be purchased at a pharmacy or in a specialized department of a supermarket.

Pour the milk into a 3-liter saucepan and heat to a temperature of 60-70°C. Stirring constantly, add lemon juice and enzyme solution. Once the whey begins to separate on the surface, turn off the heat and set the pan aside for 15 minutes.

Using a sieve, catch the formed clots and carefully squeeze them out of excess whey, wearing thick gloves on your hands (to avoid getting burns).

Put the remaining whey back on the fire and bring to a boil. Then add salt and dip the mozzarella in it for 3-5 minutes. Stretch the resulting elastic cheese mass, roll it into an envelope and roll into a ball. Repeat the operation several times until the mozzarella prepared at home acquires elasticity, viscousness and a uniform consistency.

Store the cheese in the whey, in a tightly closed container, in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Mozzarella prepared at home can be served as an appetizer or used to prepare various dishes. Bon appetit!

Recipe 2: mozzarella at home (with photo)

Milk (originally buffalo) - 1.5 l
Water (distilled; possible by osmosis, but never from the tap) - 250 ml
Rennet (pepsin, we have acidin-pepsin) - 2
Citric acid - 1/3 tsp.
Salt - 1 tsp.

Let's decide on the ingredients. Mozzarella is made from buffalo milk. But even those brought from Italy to our stores are made from cow meat.

Water is needed to dilute the acid and pepsin in it. Must be dechlorinated.

Pepsin is an enzyme for curdling milk. All cheeses are made using it. You can buy “Acidin-pepsin” at the pharmacy.

Citric acid is used to change the Ph of milk.

Pour our milk into a saucepan and heat it to 25-28 degrees. Slowly pour citric acid diluted in half a cup of water into the milk, stirring constantly. For a liter of milk you need about a quarter teaspoon of acid.

Slowly heat the milk to 30-35 degrees, remembering to stir. Dissolve 2 Acedin-pepsin tablets in ½ cup of water and pour into milk. Bring the temperature to 40 degrees and remove from heat. Throughout heating, you need to stir the milk lightly. At this time, the first flakes of cheese should appear and the milk will begin to curdle.

Cover the pan with a lid and leave it for 15-20 minutes to complete the curdling process.

While we wait, you can chop a sprig of fresh basil. After 20 minutes, let’s see what we got. It should be similar to this.

Everything curdled perfectly and we have more than just sour milk. The consistency is much thicker, the mass is a solid pancake, the serum is quite transparent and has a yellowish tint. In industrial production, they would now include special knives that would cut all “this” into small pieces. We can take a knife and cut the resulting mass into 1.5-2 cm cells, and/or just mix well with a spoon.

After mixing, put the mixture into a fine sieve or colander and squeeze it well with a spoon or hand. Don’t worry that it will crumble and fall into holes, everything sticks together when compressed into a homogeneous mass (of course, if you did everything correctly).

We need to squeeze the whey out of the cheese as best as possible, but without fanaticism, we’ll add more later.

Our cheese already looks like cheese. It sticks together into one lump and does not fall apart. Let's drain the remaining whey and now we can go in two ways:

1 - place our cheese in hot water (60-70 degrees) until it warms up and begins to melt;
or 2 - put our cheese in the microwave for about one minute.

It must be said that the time depends on the amount of cheese and the power of your microwave. In any case, you need to watch and prevent the cheese from boiling (the first time I made it from 800 grams of milk and did not follow the process, there was not enough cheese and it boiled quickly). In any case, it wouldn’t hurt to turn it over at least once. We need to heat the cheese to a state of plasticity.

The result of our activities, at the moment, should be what is shown in the photo. Yes, this viscous mass will soon become our delicious mozzarella. Let's admire it a little and stretch it with both hands.

During this process, squeeze out the excess whey, and later, add salt and basil to the cheese. You need to salt as much as you need. Never take or throw away at once as much as is written in recipes, this is an approximate amount. You don’t have to add basil (dill, in my case), but it will make the cheese very flavorful. Add it, stretch it well again and mix it, and put it back in the microwave for a minute.

We warmed it up, took it out and stretched and weaved again. The point of this stretching is to give the cheese its signature structure and fibrous quality. But if you want it to be softer and more tender, don’t get too carried away with it. Before cooling, be sure to shape your cheese into the shape you want.

You can store our cheese in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a week, or freeze it in the freezer and store it there for a month.

Recipe 3: Homemade mozzarella cheese

This is a version of homemade mozzarella made from cow's milk, pharmaceutical acidin-pepsin for curdling milk, instead of cheese sourdough or pepsin, and citric acid for changing pH.

Use the remaining whey to prepare any dough: yeast, pancake, pancakes or bread!

Milk - 1.5 l
Citric acid - 1/3 tsp.
Acidin-pepsin – 2 tablets
Water - 1 glass
Salt - 1 tsp.

Crush acidin-pepsin tablets to a powder.

Dissolve the resulting powder in half a glass of water. The water must be clean: artesian, filtered or distilled.

Dissolve a portion of citric acid in half a glass of water.

Heat the milk to 25-30 degrees. I just turned on the "Yogurt" mode.

First pour water with citric acid into warm milk, stir, and then water with acidin-pepsin and stir again. Heat the milk to 40 degrees, it should curdle, i.e. flakes will appear.

Leave the mass for 15-20 minutes at room temperature so that the curdled cheese mass settles.

I often make homemade cottage cheese and I can say that the resulting mozzarella mass is much softer and more delicate in consistency.

Drain the milk and cereal into a colander lined with gauze.

Hang the homemade mozzarella to drain excess whey.

In a few minutes you will have a soft clot of mozzarella preparation.

Heat the water or whey to a temperature of 50 degrees and place the workpieces in it for a short time.

It is believed that heated blanks should stretch like... chewing gum. In my case, they simply softened and became more elastic. The water is quite hot, so I crushed these blanks while wearing rubber gloves.

Then the mozzarella balls need to be placed in the whey, in which salt is mixed.

Use homemade mozzarella immediately or as soon as possible (within 24 hours) for salads, sandwiches, pizza, or other snacks. Store in the refrigerator, but keep in mind that it is not intended for long-term storage!

Recipe 4, step by step: homemade mozzarella cheese from milk

4 liters of milk (minimally pasteurized, farm fresh, non-homogenized)
1 ½ tsp. dissolve citric acid in ¼ cup of bottled cold water (water should be non-chlorinated)
Dissolve ¼ tablets of herbal rennette in ¼ cup of bottled cold water (water should be non-chlorinated)

I had the freshest milk at room temperature. I poured it into a large saucepan, put it on the stove over low heat (4 at max 9) and poured the citric acid solution into it. Stirred with a slotted spoon.

I lowered a sterilized thermometer into the milk and began to stir the milk with a slotted spoon so that it warmed up evenly. I raised the temperature in the milk to 32 degrees and immediately switched to level 3 (it miraculously maintained a constant temperature of 32.8 degrees)

I poured a solution of rennin into the milk. Stirred with a slotted spoon.

I covered the milk with a lid, left the thermometer in the pan and measured it for 5 minutes.

Exactly in 5 minutes. The whey separated perfectly. I waited another minute just in case.

I cut the curd with a sharp knife, first lengthwise, then crosswise, into squares. She began to slowly raise the temperature, switching the stove to the 5th setting. After 2-3 minutes. slowly stirred the chopped curds into the whey with a long wooden spoon.

The thermometer remained in the pan with the curds. Our task is to bring the temperature to 43 degrees, slowly and carefully stirring the curds in the whey. As soon as the temperature was reached, I immediately removed it from the stove.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the curds into a colander with holes (not mesh) to allow the whey to drain. I did this in two batches, because the clots take up a very large volume.

I squeezed out the clots very well so that practically no liquid was released. The result is a lump like this. This is exactly half a serving.

Each half of the weighed curds was heated in the microwave for 30 s (power 700 W) until the cheese began to melt. For the cheese to start melting, its internal temperature should be 55-57 degrees. I made both halves almost smooth. Place the cheese balls in ice water and salt for 15 minutes.

Recipe 5: how to make mozzarella at home

3 liters of homemade fat milk
7 g citric acid
2 tsp pepsin solution
200 ml cold boiled water water
4 tbsp salt for brine

Leave the milk in the refrigerator for several hours to allow the cream to separate. There should be at least 1 glass of them in milk, and preferably 0.5 liters. If the amount of cream in the milk is less than 1 cup, it makes sense to add the missing amount of cream to the milk to make the mozzarella tasty.

The temperature of the milk should be up to 10 degrees (immediately from the refrigerator). Dissolve citric acid in 100 ml of water.

Add a solution of citric acid to cold milk. Slowly heat the milk to 32 degrees, stirring constantly.

Immediately turn off the heat and add rennet solution to the milk, which we first dilute in 100 ml of cold boiled water.

Stir the milk intensively for 10 seconds, cover the pan and do not touch it again for 15-40 minutes. During this time, a curd clot should form, which will move 1 cm away from the walls of the pan.

We check the clot “on a clean finger”. To do this, lightly press the top of the clot with your finger. The finger should be clean after pressing.

Cut the curd into 2x2 cm squares. Leave the curd cubes for 5 minutes so that they have time to settle a little.

Strain off the whey and press the cheese a little under your own weight.

It should be elastic, elastic and quite moist.

Pour 1.5 liters of water into a clean saucepan and heat it to a temperature of 80 degrees. Prepare another pan with cold water. Cut the cheese into 4 parts. Place the cheese pieces in hot water for a few minutes.

We put on rubber gloves. Once the cheese becomes stringy and soft, take it out and stretch and fold it several times to create a layered texture.

Remove the cooled mozzarella from the water and fill it with brine (4 tablespoons of salt per 1 liter of whey). Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours. After this time, you can eat the cheese or let the mozzarella salt a little more.

On average, each liter of milk yields 100 g of mozzarella (depending on the quality of the milk). 3 liters yield 300 g of mozzarella, and 10 liters yield 1 kg of cheese. It is better not to keep mozzarella in the refrigerator for more than 3-4 days. It tastes better fresh.

Recipe 6: how to make mozzarella at home

village fat milk - 2 l
citric acid - 0.75 tsp.
water - 50 ml
sea salt - 1 tsp.
rennite - on the tip of a knife

Pour village fresh milk into a saucepan with a thick bottom and heat to 15 C. Pour 0.75 tsp of citric acid into 50 ml of cold bottled water and stir until the acid is completely dissolved. Pour the acid into the milk, add 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt, stirring and heat to 35C.

Dilute Rennit in 2 tablespoons of cold water and pour into milk, mix gently, remove the pan from the heat and leave for 30 minutes. During this time, a dense clot forms in the pan. Using a long knife, cut the curd into pieces (without removing it from the pan).

Heat the mixture in a saucepan to 45*C and the whey will begin to separate.

Stirring gently, transfer the curd to a colander and allow the whey to drain.

Heat the remaining whey to 85 * C and lower the cheese mass into it in small portions for 10-15 seconds, take it out and start stretching, DO NOT FORGET TO WEAR THICK RUBBER GLOVES!!! The cheese piece should not tear; if this happens, then put it back into the hot whey.

It is necessary to stretch and fold several times until the cheese mass becomes elastic. We form balls of various sizes and add them to the cooled whey. If this is not done, the balls will turn yellow and flatten slightly.

That's basically all... From 2 liters of milk we get 300 grams of delicious mozzarella. Drizzle the cheese balls with truffle oil, sprinkle with freshly ground black allspice and enjoy. Bon appetit!

Recipe 7, homemade: mozzarella cheese (step-by-step photos)

2 liters of milk
rennet extract
lemon acid

Dissolve ¾ teaspoon of citric acid in 125 ml of cold water and pour into the pan along with the milk. Then put on low heat and slowly heat to a temperature of 32 degrees Celsius. The temperature must be the same as in the recipe, otherwise all efforts are in vain.

After reaching the required temperature, remove the pan from the stove and pour in the enzyme (¼ teaspoon dissolved in 1 spoon of cold water). A harder cheese that can be grated can be obtained by adding double the amount of enzyme. Stir gently for 30 seconds, cover and leave for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, check the milk - the finished milk should have the consistency of jelly. If the mixture is too soft, wait another minute or two. Then cut into cubes vertically, and then horizontally. This will allow the whey to separate from the cheese.

We put the cheese mass back on the stove and heat it to 40 degrees, stirring gently. The cheese will begin to take on the consistency of mozzarella cheese and will look like the picture below.

Remove from heat and stir for 3 minutes, and then transfer the cheese mass using a special spoon to a sieve or colander.

When the excess whey has drained, form a ball, transfer to a bowl and heat in the microwave for a minute. The mozzarella will be quite hot, so thick rubber gloves will be useful. Separate it from the whey and put it back in the microwave for 30 seconds.

If you follow the recipe for Mozzarella cheese at home step by step, then in the microwave during this time the temperature of the cheese mass will reach 60 degrees.

The most delicate Italian dishes would not be so tasty if it were not for mozzarella. This magnificent dairy product perfectly complements classic cuisine. However, its beauty lies not only in its unique taste, but in its rich composition and dietary qualities. Soft cheese is a welcome guest on any table. If store-bought options do not suit you, the product is easy to prepare yourself. This will make the treat even healthier.

What is mozzarella cheese

A gourmet favorite, mozzarella is an Italian soft, unsalted dairy product that is best consumed young. The flowering of taste occurs in the first 12 hours. It was originally made from buffalo milk. This is a classic that has now become exclusive. Over time, cow's milk began to be used. The product turns out no less tasty, but true experts advise at least once to try real cheese according to ancient recipes.

The soft structure allows you to give mozzarella different shapes. The main types of product are:

bocconcini - cheese in the form of large balls;
Ciliegini - mozzarella in the form of small round balls, the size of a small cherry plum;
perlini - small balls of cheese that resemble peas;
traccia - mozzarella woven into a delicious braid. There is a smoked version.

Composition, calorie content and beneficial properties of the product

You can enjoy delicious soft cheese balls even if you are on a diet. The nutritional value of cheese is 240 kcal with a complete absence of carbohydrates. The specific gravity of fat does not exceed 20-25%. The protein part occupies 18-20%. With this composition, mozzarella gracefully complements the everyday menu as desserts, appetizers, and components of main courses.

Cheese has a number of useful properties:

improves heart function thanks to potassium;
strengthens bones and nail plates thanks to calcium;
maintains water balance with sodium content;
preserves vision and improves skin thanks to vitamin A;
promotes the regeneration of bones and muscles with the help of phosphorus;
normalizes cholesterol levels, because contains choline.

How to make mozzarella cheese at home

Since mozzarella is recommended to be consumed young, it is useful to master the skill of preparing it yourself. This can be done at home without any special equipment; the process will not cause any difficulties even for novice kitchen queens. But the dishes will be decorated with the elegant taste of soft cheese, fresh and as healthy as possible. The less mozzarella was in the refrigerator, the more nutrients it is saturated with.

Recipe

To make mozzarella cheese you will need:

1.5 liters of medium fat milk. If you can get buffalo, take it without hesitation.
250 ml distilled water. You should absolutely not take it directly from the tap.
2 packs rennet enzyme. Pepsin, acidin-pepsin will do. Used for curdling milk. Without such an enzyme, cheese production is impossible.
1/3 tsp. citric acid.
1 tsp. kitchen salt.

Step-by-step recipe for making mozzarella cheese at home:

Pour the milk into the pan, let it heat to 25-28 degrees.
Dissolve citric acid in half a cup of water and slowly add the liquid to the milk. Don't forget to constantly stir the mixture. Bring it to 30-35 degrees.
Dissolve rennet in half a cup of water and pour into the pan with the cheese being prepared. Bring the mixture to 40 degrees, cover with a lid and remove from the stove.
Leave the pan with the milk mixture for 15-20 minutes to allow the enzyme to allow the milk to curdle.
After the required time has passed, the product will separate. You will get a dense cheese mass and transparent whey with a yellowish tint. Stir the future mozzarella until it breaks into small pieces.

Scoop the resulting mass with a spoon and place on a fine sieve. Press down well so that all the whey comes out.

Be careful not to let the cheese ooze out. The result is a dense cheese mass that does not fall apart.

Transfer the cheese to a heatproof bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Make sure that the future mozzarella does not boil. After half a minute, turn it over.

After microwave oven you will get viscous cheese, as in the photo. Remember the product well, like plasticine. Remove any escaping whey.

Salt the mozzarella and mash well again. Add basil if desired. Additional heating and stretching is allowed. This will give the cheese its signature structure. If you want a more delicate and soft product, eliminate the repeated heating step.

Shape cooked mozzarella into desired shape. Store cheese in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

What can you cook with mozzarella?

Delicate cheese balls easily fit into any dish. They are used for salads, appetizers, pizza, pasta, and baked warm dishes. The beauty of mozzarella is its dense consistency - it melts, but does not spread. They make excellent hot dishes with stretchy cheese. Such sandwiches are very popular with children who need a playful element to absorb food.

We offer several easy and tasty recipes:

Caprese salad is a classic of the genre. It looks elegant, is easy to prepare, and is absorbed instantly. Cut the tomatoes and mozzarella into thick slices and place them alternately. Sprinkle basil on top and drizzle with olive oil.

Salad with mozzarella and shrimp. Place tomato halves, cheese cubes, and chopped green onions on a plate. Season with basil, salt, and olive oil as desired. Place boiled shrimp on top.
Pizza Margherita - prepared without meat. Place garlic and tomato sauce on the dough, a few basil leaves, and sprinkle with oregano. After 5-7 minutes of baking, sprinkle finely chopped cheese on top. Return to the oven for a couple more minutes to melt the mozzarella.
Breaded fried cheese is a delicious hot appetizer. Cut the mozzarella into pieces 1.5 cm thick. Dip in the egg and roll in breading. Fry in a hot frying pan for a few minutes on both sides so that the cheese has time to melt.

What cheese can replace mozzarella?

Soft Italian mozzarella is not always easy to come by. However, in some recipes it is replaced with other cheeses, which will reveal the taste of the dish and give it new notes. If there is no required packaging on the counter, look nearby for Adyghe cheese or suluguni. Some housewives recommend using feta cheese or homemade cheese “Zdorovye”, but they have a more curd-like structure, so they are not always suitable. If you need to bake it, take unsmoked suluguni. It melts and stretches beautifully. Classic hard cheese will also work.

Video: how to make mozzarella cheese at home?

Making mozzarella in the kitchen is easy. The main thing is to get the rennet and take the milk that curdles. The first time it is better to do it according to clear instructions so as not to miss the most important thing. Follow all the directions and advice, then the mozzarella will be no worse than store-bought. Strictly adhere to all technological nuances. This is especially true for temperature; the future structure and flavor notes of the cheese depend on it.

The video instruction below about making mozzarella at home has text tips. It's easier to understand this way. We recommend using fewer products the first time to master all the intricacies. Prepare all the utensils and necessary ingredients in advance. Don't forget about a kitchen thermometer, since production is based on precise technology. Watch the video before you start cooking. This way you will have an idea of the sequence of actions. You can make small notes for yourself so you don't have to rewind the video.

We have already shown you how one type of Italian cheese is made. Today we will talk about another cheese, more famous in the world, and even to us. But already from the name it is clear that we will talk about mozzarella. This cute duck is made from mozzarella cheese paste, the production of which I promised to introduce my readers to.

And these are the same “signorinas” whom Signor Filippo himself represents. Remember with what love the cheesemaker called his caciocavallo cheeses “signorina”. He does the same with mozzarella. Whatever you say, these are his creations, each of which contains a piece of life. It’s hard not to respect the work of a hereditary cheesemaker, the wonderful fruits of which can be immediately tasted.

Before tasting mozzarella, it still needs to be made. Let me remind you that now you can see how mozzarella is made from cow's milk, which is known as fior di latte.

Fresh milk is filtered, heated by steam to a temperature of 35 degrees and fermented with a certified enzyme preparation made from the rennet of small calves.

The fermentation time of milk depends on its natural acidity and ambient temperature. In the warm season, the process lasts 30-40 minutes, in the cold season - up to 60. It still takes about 20 minutes to allow the milk clot to thicken and strengthen, after which it is broken into nut-sized particles.
Breaking the milk clot is carried out in two stages. First, a cross is drawn on the surface of the clot and left for 5-10 minutes, and then the clot is vigorously mixed with a special tool with a metal nozzle to the very bottom.

Small particles of milk curd begin to settle to the bottom. Now you need to wait for the milk curd to ripen under the whey, i.e. will reach an acidity pH of 4.8-4.9, under which the melted cheese mass will stretch well.

A poorly ripened clot may later produce a mass that is too dense, because... will require too much hot water to melt, resulting in permanent fat loss.

An overripe sour curd will be too “dry” to melt, and the texture of mozzarella made from this material will be lumpy. In any case, suboptimal acidity of the milk curd will then affect the weight of the final product, and most importantly, its taste.

Industrial production of mozzarella is accompanied by laboratory tests that make it possible to correctly determine the moment of the beginning of filatura, i.e. melting the cheese curd with hot water, from which mozzarella is formed. In a small cheese factory, such an analysis is done empirically.
To do this, a small amount of milk curd is heated in boiling water and tested for “rubberiness,” i.e. the resulting paste should stretch well and show some resistance.

If a braid is easily knitted from the stretched paste, you can start filaturing.
From the moment the milk is fermented to the start of the milk clot filtration, it takes about a little more than an hour and a half.
Now the milk curd must be separated from the whey. This operation is performed on the table, where the mass of the curd is well squeezed out, pressed and left for final ripening for another thirty minutes. In the previous post about the production of cacciocavallo cheese, the blogger clarified that this process is called cheddarization.

The curd, which has become compacted after draining the whey, is cut into thin pieces using a special machine. Then pour boiling water and knead. At the same time, a saturated salt solution is added to the cheese mass.
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In traditional cheese factories, kneading the cheese paste is still done by hand using wooden spatulas.

During the filaturing of cheese paste, it is extremely necessary to maintain a constant high water temperature in the region of 85-90 degrees. Therefore, part of the cooling water is replaced with boiling water.

The water in which the cheese mass is melted, the so-called "acqua bianca", washes out a significant part of the acidity, fats and proteins from the paste. Therefore, all water after cheese production is collected and used in feeding pigs. It is not for nothing that in places with developed cheese production, pig farming always develops in parallel.

The paste filature for mozzarella is approximately the same as for caciocavallo cheese. The melted cheese mass is stretched into an elastic “rope”.
Signor Filippo rolls one of the ends of the “rope” into a ball and tears it off. This moment of separation is called "mozza". It is not difficult to guess that this is where the origin of the word “mozzarella” lies.

Then the future mozzarella weighing up to 1 kg is formed from the torn piece of pasta. This process of “ball formation” of the mozzarella forces the sacrifice of a small piece of pasta, which also has to be torn off. From this torn piece a braid is made, which housewives buy for pizza, because... The braided pasta is denser than regular mozzarella and does not leave a lot of liquid on the pizza later.

Mozzarella of small weight (150 g) is made using a machine that was purchased back in the early 70s.
The melted cheese mass is loaded into the machine and pushed through the holes to a rotating drum with mozzarella nests. From the nests, ready-made standard mozzarella falls into cold water.

Cold water stops the filaturation process inside the cheese and helps the mozzarella paste firm up somewhat.

This “shock therapy” leads to the fact that mozzarella paste may be somewhat fibrous in the first hours after its production. Therefore, the best taste of mozzarella is achieved after some “rest” of the cheese, during which the compressed protein threads of the cheese paste relax and the mozzarella becomes more elastic.

The mozzarella remains in cold water until it is sold. Customers receive the mozzarella in a bag along with the water in which it was cooled.

Cheese is one of the most delicious foods. It is eaten almost all over the world. It is perfect for both the daily diet and the holiday table. There are many cheese flavors - sweet, salty, tart, spicy. Each country has its own preferences for the ideal cheese.

So, Italians are very proud of their mozzarella. This cheese has an extraordinary taste, delicate, with a creamy aroma.

The history of mozzarella

For the first time in Italy, monks became interested in this product in search of the most suitable product for wine. It was then that buffalo milk was tested for cheese production. At the monastery of San Lorenzo, pilgrims were offered cheese and a loaf of bread. The monks called the cheese “mozza”.

A couple of centuries later, “mozza” was already sold in the rich markets of Naples. It was then that Bartolomeo Scappi mentioned a cheese called mozzarella in his cookbook.

Buffaloes are actively bred, and more and more mozzarella is produced for sale. And in the 18th century, the first cheese factory was built in the province of Caserta.

Description and main types of mozzarella

Mozzarella can be distinguished from other cheeses by its appearance - these are medium-sized balls that float in brine. It is considered the most delicious one-day product, but to taste it, you will need to go to Italy.

There are several varieties of mozzarella - hard and smoked varieties.

Mozzarella cheese is layered in structure, has a delicate creamy taste, reminiscent of cottage cheese. Made according to a classic recipe from buffalo milk, it is saltier and fattier than those made from cow's milk.

Due to its soft structure, it is given different shapes, which is why it is called differently:

Large balls are called bacconcini;
Smaller balls - chiliegini;
Small lumps the size of a pea - perlini;
In the form of a braid - trechcha (it is also often smoked).

The benefits of mozzarella for the body

Mozzarella cheese is good for the body because it is low in calories and contains only 20% fat. It is often used in dietary nutrition. It is rich in calcium and other beneficial substances. Recommended for children, elderly people and pregnant women.

The effect of this product on the body is manifested in the following beneficial properties:

The potassium contained in cheese improves the functioning of the heart muscle;
Calcium and phosphorus strengthen nails, teeth and bones;
Sodium stabilizes water balance;
Skin and vision are protected thanks to vitamin A;
Cholesterol levels remain normal due to the choline present in the composition.

Equipment for making mozzarella at home

To prepare at home you will need the following equipment:

Dishes for heating milk (not aluminum);
A special square or round mold for cheese with holes (for liquid waste);
Thermometer, preferably electronic;
A heavy object used as a press;
Sterile gauze.

Mozzarella recipe

Before you start making cheese, you need to dissolve citric acid in ½ part of the volume of cold water. Rennet is also mixed with water.

The milk needs to be warmed up a little, to 17-18 degrees, add a solution of citric acid to it, stirring the liquid constantly. Then place on low heat and bring the temperature of the composition to 36 degrees.

Now it’s the turn of the rennet composition; it is also mixed with heated milk and stirred for three minutes.

After which the fire can be extinguished, the container can be covered and left for forty minutes to form a clot that does not stick to your hands.

You need to put on gloves, remove the resulting mass from the container and put it in a colander. Bring the liquid that remains in the pan to a boil and add salt.

Then the cheese is dipped in hot salted liquid for a few seconds, after which you can try to stretch the cheese mass in your hands. Good elasticity should be present; if the clot does not break, it means the process was correct.

The mass needs to be kept in the liquid for some time, while trying to knead it better. This will give it uniformity and elasticity.

Now the mozzarella cheese is ready. The next step is to choose a mold for the cheese. You can form balls of any size or strip and serve.

Another recipe for making mozzarella at home

Required:

1.5 liters of cow's milk;
250 ml of high quality purified water;
Rennet – pepsin – 2 teaspoons;
Half a teaspoon of citric acid;
Table salt – 1 teaspoon.

We take half the volume of cold water for a solution with citric acid.

Pour the milk into a saucepan, do not heat it, but immediately add the acidic solution. Bring the liquid to a temperature of 30 degrees, pour in the pepsin diluted in the remaining cold water. Mix well, remove from heat and leave for half an hour. After this time, we look into the pan - a mass similar to cottage cheese has formed there.

This mass needs to be cut into several small pieces. Once again we heat the container, the temperature should not exceed 35 degrees. Stir the mixture constantly.

Remove from heat, strain into a colander and squeeze lightly. We bring the water to a temperature of 90 degrees, add the cheese mass into it, and in five minutes the homemade mozzarella is ready. We put on rubber gloves so as not to burn our hands, knead the cheese into a ball and place it in cold water.

Before preparing mozzarella at home, you must thoroughly rinse all containers and rinse them with boiling water. This will help avoid the proliferation of foreign microorganisms in milk and cheese;
According to the recipe, the milk requires heating, it is better to do this in a water bath, so it warms up evenly;
The fat content of milk should be medium. Any kind will do - whole, pasteurized and even dry. But the taste of cheese directly depends on the quality of the dairy product, so it is better not to save money and use fresh whole milk;
The water in which rennet and bacteria (or citric acid) are dissolved must be clean, preferably distilled, not too cold, preferably at room temperature. The brine in which the mozzarella is placed should, on the contrary, be very cold, the colder the better;
To increase the moisture content of mozzarella, you need to use a mixture of thermophilic bacteria instead of citric acid. Then it will turn out very soft and moist;
When preparing mozzarella, the stage where the cheese must stretch well is important. If you rush and do not wait for this moment, the product will turn out to be hard and rubbery in taste. If you overdo it, the mass will fall apart;
After preparing the mozzarella, it is placed in brine and put in the refrigerator. The longer it sits in the liquid, the saltier it will be;
Before use, the cheese must be removed from the brine and dried with a towel.

Features of storage and serving

Mozzarella cheese cannot be stored for long periods of time and is eaten immediately after preparation. But if you keep it in salty brine for a while, it will taste more piquant. It is permissible to keep it in this brine for no more than three days. If the cheese has acquired a sour or bitter taste, it means that it has spoiled and is no longer suitable for food. If this type of cheese is left without brine, the product will become dry and lose its delicate taste.

The brine is quite easy to prepare:

Liter of whey;
4 tablespoons salt;
Stir until the salt is completely dissolved.

Mozzarella cheese must be stored by placing it in brine and refrigerating it.

Served as a separate dish as an appetizer or as part of other dishes. Mozzarella cheese goes well with tomatoes and basil in the traditional Italian dish Caprese, and also goes well with white wine. Mozzarella is often consumed as a dessert with fruit and sweet wines.

In Italy, cheese is used in most recipes. Mozzarella will be good in making pasta, lasagna and pizza. This delicate product will add sophistication to your dishes.

Salad with mozzarella and arugula

You can surprise your guests by offering them this salad as an appetizer. It will require the following ingredients:

200 grams of mozzarella;
Arugula - 60 grams;
Two fresh tomatoes (you can use cherry tomatoes);
Basil;
Olive oil - 30 grams;
Thyme, spices to taste;
Balsamic vinegar;
2 cloves of garlic.

To prepare the sauce, mix olive oil, basil, thyme, garlic and spices. Cut the cheese into thin slices, tomatoes into rings, place arugula on top, pour over the sauce. In addition, shrimp, olives, and mushrooms are often used. The components can be alternated at your discretion.

The tender and light salad is ready. Bon appetit!

Making mozzarella at home is a simple process, and the pleasant, delicate taste of this cheese will certainly delight you and serve as a reward for your efforts.

Some have only heard about the Italian product, others have had the opportunity to try it, but few people actually know what it is. You can learn about all the intricacies of production only by making mozzarella cheese at home; production will not take more than an hour, but will give excellent results. From the cheese delicacy you can later prepare many hearty dishes, because the refined taste of the semi-solid product will decorate any of them.

It is difficult to completely replicate the original cheese recipe in the realities of our country, primarily due to the fact that in Italy (where the product originates) “Mozzarella” is prepared from buffalo milk.

It can hardly be found here, so homemade cheese, like industrial cheese, of Italian origin is made from cow’s or goat’s milk. But the cheese delicacy will not be tasteless or far from the original, since the elasticity of the consistency and the tenderness of the taste can be easily reproduced using just the right technology.

Ingredients

— 2 liters + -
— 0.2 sachets + -
— 250 ml + -
Pepsin – 1 sachet + -

Making mozzarella from milk

Fermentation stage of homemade cheese

During this time, a clot should form; if this does not happen, you still need to wait. It is important to wait for complete fermentation.

It’s easy to check the completion of fermentation: dip a clean finger into the milk mixture; if it gets dirty, then fermentation has not occurred; if the finger remains clean, we can proceed to the next stage of preparation.

Stage of ripening of cheese mass

Cut the finished milk clot into squares with a knife directly in the pan. The approximate size of each square is 5X5. To get something like squares, you need to cut the mixture at an angle.

It is best to make mozzarella in a water bath, but you can also heat it on the stove. There is no need to heat it to more than 42-43°C.
At the same time, do not forget to stir the mixture all the time so that the pieces of already formed cheese do not stick together.

Using a slotted spoon or your own hands, transfer the mozzarella into a colander with a small hole or into a specially prepared sieve.
Drain off the remaining whey, pressing down the cheese mixture a little. However, you should not press too hard, as you may push the cheese through the holes.
Transfer the mixture from the sieve to a plate. The consistency of the cheese should be similar to dough.

How to make brine for homemade mozzarella

Divide the whey that remains in the pan into parts.

Pour 1/3 of the part into another container, add salt to taste, stir the whey until the salt is completely dissolved, then cool the mixture.
Heat the remaining 2/3 of the whey to 70-80°C.
We separate the piece we need from the total cheese mass and place it in a pan with heated whey.

Stir the whey and cheese continuously for 15 seconds. Then we check whether the cheese pieces are ready.

To check the readiness of the mozzarella, you need to take a silicone glove (the thicker the better) and remove a small piece of cheese from the pan.

Try to stretch it; if it breaks, it means you need to continue heating the cheese. If not, stop heating the cheese mass and begin forming cheese balls.

You can make not only balls from the semi-solid “dough”, but also any other shapes, for example, knots. In a word, sculpt the way you like.

Dip the molded pieces into the cooled whey. This is necessary, otherwise the “modeling” will lose its shape.

Place the pieces in the whey in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, homemade Mozzarella cheese can be consumed.

The Italian product can be eaten either fresh (that is, just extracted from the whey) or dried. However, remember that dried cheese will gradually turn yellow.

Making homemade mozzarella: secrets of success

It’s pointless to talk about how to make delicious Italian cheese at home if you don’t initially select the right ingredients for cooking. In order not to doom your culinary venture to failure in advance, follow simple recommendations for choosing and preparing products.

For cooking, it is very important to use water purified from chlorine and various impurities, since pepsin “dies” under the influence of chlorine.

You can also use distilled water, but under no circumstances use tap water.

Tip #2: use homemade milk for future mozzarella

For any cheese prepared at home, only natural ingredients are required. Mozzarella is no exception.

The milk on which the cheese product will be prepared must be homemade, or, in extreme cases, farm milk. It is not recommended to use UHT milk.

If you pasteurize milk yourself, make sure that its temperature during heating (lasting 30 minutes) does not exceed 60°C.

At the stage of cheese making, which requires heating the cheese mass on a stove or in a water bath, you can use a microwave oven. To do this, place the lump of cheese in the microwave and heat it for no more than 1 minute at a power of 1000 W.

It is very important to heat the cheese mass evenly, but not to boil it. Please note that if your microwave has a different power, the warm-up time will also be different. The lower the W, the longer the lump will warm up, and vice versa. The main thing is to monitor changes in the cheese mass; it is from this that you need to determine the specific time for heating.

As you can see, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to try your favorite Italian product. Anyone can make Mozzarella cheese at home.

By following all the recipe steps and choosing the necessary products, you will be able to make an excellent cheese treat that is easily suitable for making pizza, casseroles, sandwiches, salads, sandwiches and many other delicious dishes.

Good luck with your cooking and, of course, bon appetit!