- 1
Ingredients
- Rennet (choose one):
- 2 gallons fresh milk from cows, goats, or both
- 1/4 teaspoon lipase powder, dissolved in 1/4 cup cool water and allowed to set for 20 minutes (optional)
- 1 packet direct-set thermophilic culture (use 1/8 teaspoon if using bulk packet)
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid animal rennet, dissolved in 1/2 cup cool water
- 1/4 teaspoon double-strength liquid vegetable rennet
- 1/4 vegetable rennet tablet, dissolved in 1/2 cup cool water
- 2 pounds sea salt (non-iodized) or cheese salt
- 1 gallon water
- Olive oil
Preparation
Step 1
Equipment
Large pot
Thermometer
Long knife (curd knife; does not need to be sharp)
Cheesecloth (2 pieces)
Cheese press
Wire whisk
Instructions
Heat the milk to 87°F. Add the thermophilic culture and lipase, and stir well. Cover and allow to ferment for 45 minutes.
Check temperature and make sure milk is no warmer than 90°F. Stir to homogenize the milk, and slowly incorporate the diluted rennet using an up-and-down motion with your spoon to ensure that the rennet works its way through all the milk, so you can get the highest possible yield.
Stir the curd with a whisk, slicing it into small pieces. The pieces should all be roughly the same size.
Over the next 25 minutes, slowly heat the curds to 100°F, stirring frequently with your wooden spoon. As you stir, the curds will shrink.
Slowly heat the curds to 125°F, stirring to prevent matting. The curds should be small, and if you bite one it should squeak in your teeth. When they have reached 125°F, turn off the heat and allow the curds to rest for 5 minutes.
Pour the curds into a press lined with cheesecloth, and press at 5 pounds of pressure for 15 minutes.
Mix two pounds of sea salt with 1 gallon of cold water to make a brine. Place the cheese in the brine and let it soak for 24 hours.