Mozzarella Cheese

Make your starter with the original instructions.

Use mozzarella cheese from the store that has been packed in water. It will have the culture in it that will get your starter in gear.

This recipe is for making 3# of mozzarella cheese.

* 3 gallons of milk, goat or cow

* 1 to 1 1/2 cup culture

* 1/4 rennet tablet, dissolved in 1/4 cup water

* salt to taste, if you want it

You will need several SS containers, colander, thermometer, a long knife or spatula, cheesecloth or curtain, cut to size, very hot water, very cold water and two wooden spoons or paddles.

First day... Warm milk to lukewarm about 90 degrees.

Add the culture and the prepared rennet. Stir for about two minutes. Cover and keep warm for about an hour. It should turn into a large solid curd.

Take the knife and cut the curd into 1/2 inch chunks. Let the cut curds settle to the bottom of the pan.

* * The curds should stand overnight in the whey, so they can become acidic enough to stretch when they get hot.

Place a square of cheesecloth into a colander and drain the curds. Let them drip. Unwrap the curds and place on a plate.

Chop the firmed mass into 1/2 inch chunks again. Move the curds around with your hands and they will feel a little springy. Heat a shallow pan of water to 170 degrees. Do not boil. Drop a few curds in and using the two wooden spoons, press them together. You will notice that they will melt a little, lose their shape and start clinging together. Take this mass from the hot water and plunge immediately into very cold water. If the cubes don't want to stick together, let them sit for another hour or so. Now, take a good double handful of curds and put into the hot water. Use your spoons to work them and you will end up with a large rubbery ball of cheese. When you can lift the mass out of the hot water, plunge it into the cold water.

You have just made a pile of mozzarella cheese. Continue until all the curds are used up. Form this when you put it into the cold water and you can make string cheese for the kids. You can freeze this in water to keep it. We just eat it.