Mozzarella description. Mozzarella cheese in different dishes. Mozzarella cheese benefits

Mozzarella cheese has already become a “native” dish in Russia. This is one of the most famous dairy products, which is loved in all regions of our country. Even despite the rise in price of Mozzarella in recent years, the popularity of the product has not decreased.

What is it - Mozzarella?

The cheese has a pleasant mild taste and looks very aesthetically pleasing. The product has many useful properties. The shape of the cheese may vary. For example, there are prepackaged pea-sized mini balls that are sold in brine. A ball of such cheese must have an outer surface thickness of at least 1 mm. The product has a layered structure; if the ball is cut, the whey comes out. Hard smoked Mozzarella is also quite often found on store shelves.

In Italy, the product is used everywhere in a variety of dishes. For example, everyone’s favorite calzone cannot be made without Mozzarella. Caprese salad is a famous dish in Russia. In it, Mozzarella harmonizes perfectly with tomatoes and herbs. It is noteworthy that the color of the salad is very similar to the colors of the national flag of Italy.

Description

The product is unsalted. The technology for its preparation has existed for hundreds of years. The classic version of Mozzarella is made from black buffalo milk with the addition of a special starter made from the gastric juice of a young (no more than 6 months) calf. The contents are then heated, thereby generating a coagulation process. The resulting composition is left for 9 hours. After this, the composition is heated again and mixed until a thick, dense mass is obtained. Balls or “braids” are formed from it. They are immediately placed in ice water, to which salt is added. After this, the product is packaged and sent to trading floors.

Real Mozzarella can only be found on the Apennine Peninsula. In other parts of the world, the product is made from goat's or cow's milk with special additives. During production, the cheese acquires the thickness of cottage cheese. It is then melted, which makes it very soft. In some cases, skim milk is used to produce the product. Typically this cheese is used to make pizza.

Compound

Cheese contains a huge amount of riboflavin (B2). This is a powerful antioxidant that stimulates the functioning of the brain and spinal cord, which is a preventative against dementia. Niacinth (B3) is also present in fairly large quantities in Mozzarella. It transforms fats into energy, prevents diabetes and arthritis, and normalizes the amount of bad cholesterol in the body. We must also not forget about such useful vitamins as A, E and D.

Mozzarella is very nutritious. The calorie content of the product is 245 kcal. Moreover, in cheese:

protein – 19 g;
fat – 24 g;
carbohydrates – 0 g.

It also contains a variety of microelements beneficial to the body. There are Omega 3 acids, which are found in fish oil, and a huge amount of amino acids. In addition, Mozzarella contains a unique beneficial element biotin (B7), which the human body cannot synthesize. Biotin optimizes metabolism, reduces sugar levels, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, as well as hair and nails.

Kinds

Types of cheese vary in size and shape:

Teccha done in a configuration that resembles a woman's braid;
Perlin– cheese that looks like pea balls;
Ciliegini produced in the form of balls the size of cherries;
Bocconcini- This is Mozzarella the size of a billiard ball.

Benefits and harms

Mozzarella normalizes metabolism, strengthens bones and joints. The product is rich in antioxidants, vitamin E also protects membrane cells from damage by free radicals.

It is well known that cheese contains a large amount of calcium. Mozzarella is especially rich in this element. Calcium:

helps preserve bones and teeth;
serves as a prophylactic against cancer;
helps strengthen the heart muscle and protects against myocardial infarction.

Mozzarella contains a considerable amount of phosphorus. It promotes good calcium absorption and stimulates metabolism in the kidneys and intestines. Phosphorus is directly involved in the life of brain cells and ensures connections between neurons. It is present in high concentrations in muscle tissue.

Mozzarella contains a lot of zinc, which takes part in the generation of blood cells (leukocytes). Zinc helps the prostate gland function and is an effective aid in reducing excess weight. Protein compounds enable the body to produce large amounts of energy.

Potassium, which is also abundant in cheese, helps normalize the functioning of the heart and blood vessels. This element prevents the body from producing excess sodium, which also has a positive effect on overall well-being. In addition, potassium can effectively lower blood pressure, which is important if a person suffers from hypertension.

Cheese is low in calories, but it contains a huge amount of nutrients. If Mozzarella is consumed in reasonable quantities, it can significantly improve your overall well-being. Also, such nutrition can be a good prevention of diseases such as:

rheumatism;
immunodeficiency;
migraine;
dementia;
oncology;
problems with the digestive system.

Mozzarella cheese is good as a preventative measure to avoid the concentration of uric acid in the joints. This cheese is high in coenzyme R or biotin. The presence of such substances protects against brittle nails and helps strengthen hair. It is very useful for pregnant women to consume this cheese (in reasonable quantities). Biotin also significantly reduces the percentage of glucose in the bloodstream, which is very important for people suffering from diabetes.

However, despite all its benefits, like any product, Mozzarella can cause unwanted effects. Cheese contains a large amount of fatty compounds that can cause blockage of blood vessels and poor circulation. Therefore, modern manufacturers have learned to make low-fat versions of Mozzarella. This is especially necessary for people who suffer from various ailments.

What is cheese used for and what is it eaten with?

Mozzarella ripens quickly. In Italian restaurants on the menu next to the name “Mozzarella” you can often find the inscription giornnata. This means that the cheese was produced just a few hours ago (no more than a day). The product is actively used for baking in pizza and finds its application in salads.

Mozzarella goes well with various snacks and dishes. Often cheese is served separately along with dry white wine.

Preparation

You can also make mozzarella at home. To obtain about 1000 mg of product, you need to prepare the following ingredients:

bucket of milk (8 liters);
pepsin (can be purchased at any pharmacy);
lemon acid.

The milk is heated. Add lemon and a little water (half a glass). In this case, the contents of the container are constantly mixed. Separately, pepsin is prepared, diluted with water. Once cooked, it is added to the heated milk. The resulting semi-finished product is placed in a water bath and heated to a temperature of +36C.

You need to wait until the mixture thickens. The resulting composition must not be mixed under any circumstances. You should be patient and wait until the substance becomes thick enough. After cooking, the product remains in the container and is cut into 2.5 cm cubes.

The remaining liquid is drained through a small colander. The resulting product is placed in the refrigerator and aged for 4-5 hours. Then the cut cubes are placed in a deep bowl, filled with water and softened. The resulting pieces can be easily formed into balls. The cheese should be kept in brackish water in the refrigerator.

Storage

Mozzarella most often comes in the form of balls. This cheese is often eaten with tea or coffee and added to various dishes. When purchasing, it is recommended to pay attention to the expiration date indicated on the packaging. It’s better not to eat expired cheese. If Mozzarella is sold in a sealed bag, then this product is suitable for making pizza or pies (this should be indicated in the product description). Brine balls, on the contrary, should not be frozen or heated. If you store them at sub-zero temperatures, they will burst. If such a product is heated, its contents will curdle and will not be suitable for consumption.

It is better not to purchase mozzarella in large quantities “in reserve”, otherwise the product will spoil. If the cheese is in brine, the container must be sealed tightly. It is recommended to use this product within 48 hours after purchase. Most often, it is packed in a transparent wrapper, which makes it possible to visually assess the quality of the cheese. The hard version of Mozzarella can be stored a little longer.

What can replace the product?

In recent years, Mozzarella has become more expensive and manufacturers have reduced supply volumes. You can replace the product with feta cheese, which is recommended to be soaked in water to remove excess salt. You can also use Adyghe cheese, it is very reminiscent of Mozzarella. In terms of its composition, suluguni is practically not inferior to Mozzarella; it is also made from buffalo or goat milk.

Tilsiter cheese is suitable for pizza; the characteristics of this product are also similar to Mozzarella.

In the next video you will find the original technology for preparing Mozzarella in just half an hour.

Not long ago a new product appeared on store shelves that immediately appealed to many people - mozzarella. What kind of delicacy is this, and what are the benefits of it? Let's figure it out.

Mozzarella is a young, tender cheese. The best way to experience the taste of this wonderful product is in its historical homeland - in the Italian region of Campania. For Italians, mozzarella is a national pride, along with Venice and the Colosseum. Once in this country, be sure to try giornata - the most delicious variety of one-day-old mozzarella. You cannot enjoy its taste anywhere except Italy.

So, mozzarella: what it is and where this product comes from has become clear. Now we will learn the features of making cheese.

The classic mozzarella recipe involves the use of black buffalo milk, but today cow's milk is increasingly used for its production. To prepare mozzarella, they take only selected milk and ferment it with a special ferment. Due to the rennet enzyme, the milk coagulates. Then, after heating, the whey is separated, the workpiece is mixed until an elastic cheese mass is obtained, heating several more times. At the last stage, pieces are cut from the resulting mass and balls or braids of various sizes are formed and immersed in a cold concentrated saline solution.

The aroma of homemade milk, delicate creamy taste, elastic consistency - all this is mozzarella. Few people know that this is also a very useful product.

The popular Italian cheese is rich in vitamins A, B, E, D, K, and also contains a significant amount of calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, and selenium. This cheese is quite easy to digest and is suitable for pregnant and lactating women.

It is an integral part of many Italian dishes. It's hard to imagine classic Italian pizza without it. Cheese is an important component for dishes such as tagliatelle, mushroom fituccine, casserole, lasagna, and various salads. Caprese is a classic appetizer using mozzarella: slices of ripe tomatoes, alternately layered with slices of cheese, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with basil. It's really delicious.

For those who want to try making mozzarella at home, there is a simple recipe.

Homemade mozzarella is made from the following ingredients:

a quarter teaspoon of pepsin (rennet);
two tablespoons of lemon juice;
two liters of high-fat milk;
two teaspoons of salt;
two tablespoons of water.

You will need to dilute with half a glass of water and squeeze out the required amount of juice from the lemon. Heat the milk to a temperature no higher than 70 ºС, add the ingredients to it. The whey separation will begin immediately. The composition does not need to be brought to a boil. The resulting whey should be drained and the resulting mass should be squeezed out.

Separately, bring a small amount of water to a temperature of 90 ºC in a saucepan and turn off the heat. Immerse the cheese in well-salted water for a few minutes, this will give it softness and elasticity. Then you need to stretch and knead the cheese, periodically dipping it into this water. After this, you need to form balls of the desired size from the plastic mass. Store the finished product in the refrigerator in a container with whey.

Exquisite Mozzarella cheese will take its rightful place on your table. There is no doubt that this is not only an appetizing, but also a very unusual product.

Mozzarella is one of the most famous Italian food products. Several varieties are combined under the name “Mozzarella”. Mozzarella di buffalo is considered classic and has the DO sign, indicating the highest category of this product.

This is mozzarella, which in Italy is made from buffalo milk. Mozzarella fior di latte (translated as “milk flower”) – has a blander taste and is made from cow’s milk. Smoked mozzarella – Mozzarella affumicata – is considered a special type.

Mozzarella comes in a variety of shapes. “Bocconcini” are quite large balls, “cigliegini” are balls the size of a large cherry, “perlini” are almost the size of peas. A braid of mozzarella is called "traccia". Classic mozzarella in saline solution is sold. It looks snow-white, soft, smooth and elastic, with a clearly visible tear point. This is the type of mozzarella that is best suited for appetizers and salads. Mozzarella made in Italy is traditionally considered the best, and since the shelf life of this cheese is very short, it is quite difficult to buy fresh mozzarella in our country.
Classic mozzarella has a delicate and at the same time elastic consistency and a soft, unobtrusive, fresh taste.
Mostly cheese on the Russian market is made from cow's milk, and not from buffalo milk. This type of mozzarella is called “milk flower” in Italy.

How is mozzarella made?

Cheese is made from fermented milk by removing the whey. Lactic acid products serve as a starter.

The cheese mass is thoroughly kneaded and dropped into warm water, where it becomes elastic. After this, the pieces are cut, giving them the required shape. The cheese is made in the form of balls of different sizes or in the form of braids.

Completely finished cheese is placed in a 10-18% saline solution, then packaged and sent for sale.

Tips: how to store mozzarella

Mozzarella should be stored in brine no longer than the period indicated on its packaging. After opening the package or box, the mozzarella and whey should be placed in some glass container with a lid. It must be consumed within two days. Store mozzarella in the refrigerator on a warm shelf. It is strictly forbidden to put this cheese in the freezer, otherwise it will turn into low-quality cottage cheese.

Mozzarella is used in many dishes. Its benefits in cooking are very great. First of all, mozzarella is associated with Margherita pizza with tomato sauce, 4 cheese pizza with Parmesan, or Roma pizza with pineapple, shrimp and ham. This pizza is a combination of products laid out on fluffy or thin dough or cheese baked in a calzone pie. An original snack cake is also prepared with mozzarella, which is made in a rustic style. It mixes pizza dough with roasted red peppers, mozzarella, ham, ricotta and basil.

What dishes are mozzarella used in?

Mozzarella is all kinds of combinations of pasta, pasta, vegetables and mushrooms, meat and seafood. Mozzarella is also generously added to tagliatelle with spinach and pine nuts, in foam with salmon, in farfalla with bacon and in fettuccine with mushrooms! It is also used in various types of lasagna, of which lasagna al forno with smoked lard, beef, vegetables and herbs is especially famous.

It is impossible to list all the salads with mozzarella: it is combined with tomatoes, beans, peaches and basil, salmon and avocado, shrimp and chicken! Lunch or dinner in Italian style includes a variety of sandwiches with mozzarella, crostini, panini, and ciabatta.

Mozzarella is also used to prepare various soups - asparagus cream soup, onion soup with croutons, even for cold fruit and berry soups.

Also, due to its unusual melting properties, mozzarella is added to various casseroles. However, know that Italian masters never melt mozzarella in the oven. You can simply sprinkle pieces of grated mozzarella onto a hot dish, allowing it to spread over the surface, retaining its taste and consistency.

When making pizza, in which mozzarella is subjected to heat treatment, it is advisable to purchase special pizza cheese, which is vacuum briquettes of various sizes, without adding whey. This cheese has a lower moisture content, lower fat content and calorie content and has a significantly longer shelf life.

Recipes with mozzarella:

Mozzarella cheese is one of the most popular varieties, which is widely known throughout the world. Thanks to its unique taste, it is used in all sorts of dishes that go beyond Italian cuisine - the birthplace of this dairy product. What is special about Mozzarella cheese, where can it be used and how to prepare this delicious product at home?

What kind of product

The birthplace of Mozzarella is Italy - it was there that they first began to produce this tasty cheese. It is made in different forms, but most often it is packaged in mini-balls, ready for use without preliminary cutting.

The variety in question has a layered structure, so when it is cut, a small amount of whey emerges, which has accumulated between the fibers during the preparation of the product. In addition to mini-balls, you can often find hard smoked Mozzarella on store shelves.

Regardless of the packaging and method of preparation, Mozzarella cheese perfectly harmonizes in any dish, giving it lightness and an amazingly delicate taste.

Product Features

Mozzarella has a light, creamy flavor, and unlike other pickled varieties, it is unsalted. The cheese looks quite attractive - it is snow-white creamy balls with a smooth, glossy surface.

Mozzarella production technology has remained unchanged for several hundred years. According to the classic recipe, the cheese is made from black buffalo milk. A special starter is introduced into it, prepared from the gastric juice of a young calf that has not reached six months of age.

Afterwards, the base and the starter are heated, which starts the fermentation process - milk coagulation. To ensure that the cheese curd is fully formed, the heated milk is left for 9 hours.

Reference! The ripening period for Mozzarella is short – 3-5 hours. In Italian restaurants on the menu next to the name of this variety you can often read the inscription giornnata. This means that the cheese was produced literally a few hours ago.

Then everything is heated again and kneaded until the mass becomes thick and dense. And after that, balls and braids are formed from the cheese curd. They are immediately sent into cold, slightly salted water. After ripening, the cheese is packed into containers, filled with brine in which it was salted, and sent to retail outlets.

Reference! Original Mozzarella can only be found on the Apennine Peninsula. It is there that the cheese is prepared according to the classic recipe. In other countries, goat or cow milk is used to produce the product in question, adding special additives.

Composition and calorie content of Mozzarella cheese

The calorie content and composition of the dairy product in question largely depends on the raw materials from which the cheese is prepared. The classic recipe, as stated earlier, uses black buffalo milk.

And since this is a rather expensive product, it is being replaced in our country and in other countries. Therefore, the fat content of Mozzarella cheese can be completely different.

Mozzarella is a prominent representative of the so-called fresh varieties of cheese. The product is stored in a special brine, thanks to which all the taste of the cheese is preserved for a long period of time.

Today, Mozzarella is also available in the form of hard cheese. However, its taste is significantly different from the original. Not to mention the benefits inherent in classic Mozzarella.

Mozzarella cheese belongs to the category of dietary products, so it is often included in the diet of overweight people. One ball of Mozzarella, prepared according to the classic recipe, weighs about 30 grams. It contains approximately 7 grams of easily digestible protein, 4 grams of fat and only 1 gram of carbohydrates.

Mozzarella contains the following useful microelements and substances:

calcium;
potassium;
phosphorus;
vitamin A;
vitamin E;
vitamin D;
a number of essential amino acids;
copper;
zinc;
Omega 3.

Here I would like to add that the beneficial properties of the variety in question are determined not only by the composition of the initial raw materials, but also by the specifics of preparing the finished product. In the process of producing Mozzarella, milk must first be carefully filtered. Due to this processing, it is possible to eliminate the factor of any pathogenic microorganisms entering the already prepared cheese.

If the correct preparation technology is followed, the energy value of cheese ranges from 290-310 kcal per 100 grams of product. And taking into account the high percentage of easily digestible protein content, Mozzarella is an excellent option for dietary nutrition.

Kinds

There are several varieties of Mozzarella. According to the form of production, cheese is divided into 4 categories:

Traccia. The finished product has the shape of a pigtail.
Perlini. The cheese is formed into small peas.
Ciliegini. It has the shape of balls, the size of a cherry.
Boccocchiki. Cheese in this category is produced in the form of large balls.

In addition to the specific shape, Mozzarella is also divided into varieties:

classic version - prepared only in Italy, and black buffalo milk is used as the main raw material;
unleavened varieties - made from cow's or goat's milk;
low-fat varieties - the basis is milk, cleared of cream;
smoked Mozzarella – after cooking, the cheese is smoked.

Benefits and harms

Cheese is incredibly beneficial for the body. It helps normalize metabolic processes and also strengthens the skeletal system and joints. Thanks to the antioxidants and vitamin E present in Mozzarella, cell membranes are protected from the negative effects of free radicals.

The variety in question contains a fairly large amount of calcium, which, in turn, has the following positive effects on the body:

preserves the skeletal system and teeth from the harmful effects of external and internal factors;
acts as a prophylactic against cancer;
strengthens the heart muscle and helps reduce the risk of myocardial infarction.

Thanks to the phosphorus present in Mozzarella, good absorption of calcium is ensured and metabolism in the kidneys and intestines is stimulated. In addition, phosphorus actively participates in the life of brain cells, ensuring full communication between neurons. Phosphorus is present in high concentrations in muscles.

Mozzarella is rich in zinc, which is actively involved in the generation of leukocytes. Zinc supports the functioning of the prostate gland and is an effective assistant in the fight against excess weight. And thanks to protein compounds, the body is able to produce large amounts of energy.

The potassium present in cheese normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system. In addition, this element acts as the body’s defense against excessive amounts of sodium, which has a positive effect on a person’s overall well-being. Potassium also helps lower blood pressure, so this type of cheese will also be useful for those who suffer from hypertension.

Mozzarella cheese has a fairly low calorie content and contains a large amount of nutrients, which is very rare for cheeses.

By consuming Mozzarella in acceptable quantities, no more than 150 grams per day, it helps to improve your general condition. Cheese is often included in meals to prevent the following diseases:

migraine;
rheumatism;
immunodeficiency;
dementia;
dysfunction of the digestive tract.

The product is good as a prophylactic to avoid high concentrations of uric acid in the joints. This type of cheese contains a large amount of biotin, which, in turn, reduces the brittleness of nails and strengthens hair. In addition, biotin significantly reduces blood glucose levels, which is especially important for those who suffer from diabetes.

Reference! In terms of its beneficial properties, Mozzarella takes a leading position among its peers. Therefore, it is often included in dietary nutrition.

Mozzarella is also useful for pregnant women, because due to its nutritional value and the presence of a large amount of vitamins, it is possible to eliminate the development of vitamin deficiency and restore the level of lost nutrients.

But, despite such an impressive list of beneficial properties, Mozzarella can cause harm to the body. Cheese contains many fatty compounds that can cause blockage of blood vessels, thereby impairing blood circulation.

And to reduce this risk, many manufacturers have begun producing low-fat versions of cheese. And, of course, Mozzarella is not recommended for people with a history of lactose hypersensitivity.

What is cheese eaten with and where is it used?

Mozzarella is a universal type of cheese. It can be used in combination with many dishes. Cold appetizers, simple salads, or simply as an individual dish served with wine - in any interpretation, cheese adds its own flavor.

In Italian cuisine, Mozzarella is used in a wide variety of dishes. For example, many people’s favorite Calzone cannot be prepared without Mozzarella. And in the Caprese salad, popular throughout our country, this cheese is ideally combined with tomatoes and herbs - you cannot find a better batch for the dish.

Mozzarella is used in various interpretations. Calzone is an Italian appetizer, without which it is difficult to imagine any feast in the homeland of the cheese in question. Lasagna, pizza, and béchamel sauce are prepared using this variety.

Thanks to its creamy taste, cheese can add lightness and amazing taste to any dish. And even chicken cooked with this product will have a completely different, incomparable taste.

Well, and, of course, don’t forget about the Caprese salad, which so harmoniously combines basil, tomato and mozzarella. If we talk about cheese as an individual snack, then it harmonizes perfectly with white wine. Many Italians find the combination of fresh fruits and Mozzarella very tasty, not to mention healthy.

Making Mozzarella at home

The production technology of this variety is quite simple. Therefore, if desired, it can be prepared at home. The main thing is to adhere to the recipe and follow the technological process step by step.

To make your own Mozzarella, you will need the following ingredients:

milk – 8 liters;
water – 100 ml;
pepsin – a pinch;
citric acid - a pinch.

Cooking process:

We take a container with high sides and preferably with an enamel coating. Pour milk into it and put it on the stove.
Stirring constantly, add water and citric acid to the milk.
Dilute pepsin in 50 ml of cold water until completely dissolved. Then add diluted pepsin to the heated milk. Mix everything thoroughly and set to heat the contents in a water bath at a temperature of 36°C.
As soon as the milk mass thickens, stop stirring it and let the cheese curd form completely. This requires patience.
After the final formation of the cheese curd, cut it into 25 mm cubes, making horizontal and vertical cuts with a long and sharp knife, bringing it to the bottom of the container.
Drain off the remaining whey using a colander lined with gauze. We carefully transfer the resulting cheese mass into the refrigerator for maturation - this stage takes 4-5 hours.
After ripening, the diced cheese is placed in a deep container, filled with water and softened. At the same stage, prepare the brine: dissolve a spoonful of salt in 1 liter of water without heating it.
After softening, the cheese cubes become softer and can be formed into balls. Next we place them in the prepared brine.

From these ingredients you get about 1 kg of cheese.

As for storage, the brine variety does not imply freezing, since in this case the product loses its taste and texture. It is best to store such cheese in its original brine with which it was purchased. In this case, the container with the product must be hermetically sealed.

The shelf life of brine Mozzarella is 2 days from the date of purchase of the product. The hard variety has a longer shelf life - up to 7 days. Therefore, be sure to check the production date when purchasing the product.

How can you replace Mozzarella cheese?

Over the past few years, the cost of the product in question has increased, and manufacturers have significantly reduced the supply of cheese to our country. Therefore, many connoisseurs of this product are looking for an alternative. It is possible to replace Italian cheese with feta cheese. But first it is advisable to soak it in water, since it has a saltier taste than the original.

Adyghe cheese can be a good substitute - it tastes similar to the original, and is very similar in structure. Also, instead of the variety in question, it is allowed to use suluguni. True, before eating it, just like feta cheese, it is advisable to soak it, freeing it from excess salt.

When preparing pizza, you can replace the original with Tilsiter cheese - it melts well and has a delicate, creamy taste.

Bottom line

Mozzarella is a popular cheese variety in all regions of our country. It has a soft structure and delicate creamy taste, so it is used in all kinds of dishes: pizza, lasagna, salads, individual snacks, etc.

The technology for preparing Mozzarella is simple, so if desired, it can be easily implemented at home. And believe me, the homemade product will turn out not only tasty, but also very healthy!

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 tender 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 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.