Fresh Mozzarella

[lisabobd]

A friend recently told me that he made fresh mozzarella cheese. He said the process was very simple (less than 45 minutes), only a few specialty ingredients were needed and the result was outstanding. Can anyone comment on experience with this and possibly direct me to a recipe.

[Scotty O]

Try these

Link #1

Link #2

Good luck.

[laurel]

We had an egullet Mozzarella-making gathering in Seattle last week. We used the recipe from Home Cheesemaking by Ricki Carroll (available on http://www.cheesemaking.com; I think this is also the same recipe in the 30 minute mozzarella kit on that site), and I think it went pretty well. It was a lot of fun kneading and stretching the lumpy curds into shiny balls of mozzarella.

[docsconz]

I watched them making fresh mozzarella di bufala in Paestum in November. It looked more difficult than I thought it would.

[picaman]

I make it all the time. Here's the recipe I use:

Mozzarella recipe

It's a considerably easier recipe than most as it uses a microwave to finish the cheese at the end. I leave out the calcium chloride and the optional lipase powder, and add 2T of powdered buttermilk. I use Junket tablets, but I've found that they are weaker than actual rennet tablets, so I use two Junket tablets per gallon of milk. Citric acid is also called "sour salt"--you may see it called that at the grocery store.

You can use regular whole milk from the grocery store. If you can get raw or non-homogenized milk, use that--I think the product tastes a bit better.

Don't be afraid--just have fun and experiment. I got mozzarella on the first try with this recipe, but have refined everything over time. In fact, I'm giving bocconcini (mozzarella balls) in olive oil as holiday presents.

Jamie

EDIT: spelling

Edited December 16, 2003 by picaman (log)

[Mudpuppie]

Citric acid is also called "sour salt"--you may see it called that at the grocery store.

It's also called vitamin C.

I've seen someone on TV (Chiarello, I think) use smashed up vitamin C tablets in recipes. Don't know if I'd use that method in any quantity, though.

[picaman]

It's also called vitamin C.

Jamie

[Scotty O]

I don't want to nitpick, but I feel that I should point out that Vitamin C is in fact ascorbic acid--not citric acid. The two are very similar so I'm not sure if the distinction has any ramifications in the area of cheesemaking. Maybe an expert can chime in here.

[balex]

I don't want to nitpick, but I feel that I should point out that Vitamin C is in fact ascorbic acid--not citric acid. The two are very similar so I'm not sure if the distinction has any ramifications in the area of cheesemaking. Maybe an expert can chime in here.

This is eGullet -- we are generally pro-nitpicking.

[Mudpuppie]

I don't want to nitpick, but I feel that I should point out that Vitamin C is in fact ascorbic acid--not citric acid. The two are very similar so I'm not sure if the distinction has any ramifications in the area of cheesemaking. Maybe an expert can chime in here.

You're right. I stand corrected.