How to Make Mozzarella Cheese: Whey Easier Than You Think

Image Gallery Insalata caprese is a classic way to serve your homemade mozzarella cheese. Simply layer fresh mozzarella and fresh tomatoes, then top with fresh basil leaves, coarse sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/SONDRA PAULSON

If you've never tried to make cheese, you'll probably be surprised to learn that making many kinds of cheese is no more difficult or time-consuming than baking a pie. Luckily, one of the most popular cheeses ? mozzarella ? is one such supereasy cheese.

The following recipe comes from Home Cheese Making by Ricki Carroll. She has taught thousands of people how to make cheese, and her devotees refer to Carroll as 'The Cheese Queen.' You can order the special ingredients for mozzarella from her company, New England Cheesemaking Supply, or you may be able to find them in your local natural foods store.

Simple Cheesemaking Equipment

All you need to begin making cheese at home is a stainless steel pot, a dairy thermometer, measuring spoons and some cheesecloth. You can find these supplies practically anywhere that sells kitchen equipment, but you can also order them ? and other equipment for more ambitious cheesemaking adventures ? from New England Cheesemaking Supply. The cheesecloth they sell is of extremely high quality, and can be washed and used over and over again. They also offer a kit with all the supplies necessary to make mozzarella and ricotta cheese many times.

About the Milk

Historically, mozzarella has been made from whole sheep's milk, water buffalo milk and cow's milk (pretty much in that order). It's great if you can find fresh cow's milk from a nearby farm, but store-bought milk will work, too. Skim milk also works, but you'll get less cheese as a result.

Just be sure to avoid any packages that say 'ultra-pasteurized' or 'UHP.' Ultra-high-temperature pasteurization exists solely to allow milk to be shipped over long distances without spoiling. The protein in milk, the compound responsible for curdling ability, is destroyed by excessive heat. Ultra-pasteurized milk can sit around for many weeks without spoiling, but it can't make cheese.

If you have access to fresh, raw milk, and want to pasteurize it, simply heat it to 145 degrees Fahrenheit in a stainless steel pot (a double boiler is even better). Hold the temperature at 145 for exactly 30 minutes, then chill the pot in a sink filled with ice water until the temperature of the milk dips to 40 degrees. Then refrigerate it.

Ricki Carroll's 30-minute Mozzarella
Yield: 3/4 to 1 pound cheese

1 1/2 tsp citric acid dissolved in 1/4 cup cool water
1 gallon pasteurized whole milk
1/4 tsp liquid rennet (or 1/4 rennet tablet) diluted in 1/4 cup cool, unchlorinated water
1 tsp cheese salt (coarse, noniodized flake salt similar to pickling salt; do not use iodized salt)

Slowly heat the milk in a stainless steel pot to 55 degrees. While stirring, add the citric acid solution to the milk and mix thoroughly.