HOW TO MAKE MOZZARELLA AT HOME
Mozzarella is considered one of the most popular cheeses in the world, and for good reason. This rich, fluffy cheese is commonly found in beloved dishes like pizza, pasta, and even fresh salads, which makes it extremely versatile for all types of cooking. Mozzarella retains its deliciously milky flavor, whether melted or served fresh, so it’s extremely easy to work with, even for beginner chefs or if you’re cooking for your family at home.
My recipe with master cheesemaker Donatella will show you exactly how her family have been whipping up fresh mozzarella cheese at home for decades. This means you can experience the mouthwatering taste of homemade mozzarella for yourself. This recipe is so refreshingly simple, your friends and family will be amazed it is not from your local Italian grocer!
Watch the Fresh Mozzarella video recipe:
Master the Art of HOMEMADE MOZZARELLA Cheese!
Vincenzo’s Plate Tips
Add some salt
Sure, fresh mozzarella has a luscious, creamy flavor all on its own. But if you really want to make your cheese stand out, try adding a dash of salt to the cheese curd mixture.
Be slow combining the rennet mixture
Once your rennet mixture has entirely disintegrated, I find it best to slowly pour it into your cheese curd batter, while gently stirring the ingredients together. This allows the rennet to be fully absorbed.
How to tell if it’s ready?
You can tell the mixture has coagulated by pressing your finger against the surface. If your finger remains clean, you’re ready to go!
Store the whey in your freezer
For the best results, I recommend keeping your whey in the freezer and defrosting it the day before you make your cheese. Whey, leftover milk from previous cheese makings, is filled with enzymes and antibacterial properties. This can speed up the cheese aging process to a fraction of the time!
Break the curd slowly while it’s still soft
Unlike other cheeses, you need to broke Mozzarella into large pieces so that it can dry out. Therefore, it’s important to break the curd while it’s still soft and warm. If you wait too long, the curd will become cold and stiff, making it difficult to work with.
Pour boiling water around the edges
One of the final steps in the mozzarella-making process is to stretch the dough. So that the dough will melt, make sure to pour boiling water around the edges of the curd. Otherwise, if the water isn’t boiling the entire time, it won’t be possible to stretch your curd later!
Place fresh mozzarella in brine to cool
Before you can savor your fresh mozzarella, you’ll need to let the stretched-out dough cool down. I always do this using a pot of brine (a concentrated mixture of water and salt), adding even more flavor to the finished cheese.
How to serve Homemade Fresh Mozzarella
Once it’s ready, you’ll be able to savor the flavor of your fresh mozzarella! Yu can serve Mozzarella cold alongside sliced heirloom tomatoes, basil, and olive oil as a classic caprese antipasto. Or, if you’re looking to cook up some comfort food, you can melt your mozzarella over the pizza of your choice to make a home-cooked treat.
Homemade Mozzarella Recipe
Print Recipe
Equipment
- Cooking thermometer
- Strainer
- Large pots
- Baking pan
- Whisk
- Small cup
- knife
- Wooden spoons
Ingredients
- 9 liters Cow's milk/unpasteurized milk, 2.38 gallons
- Powdered calf rennet
- Water, demineralized is ideal
- Salt, as much as required
Instructions
- Filter the milk by pouring it into a strainer over a large pot.
- Add the whey by slowly pouring it into the strained milk, then gently whisk until fully combined.
- While you’re mixing, slowly heat the milk until it reaches 40°C (or 104°F). Check this using your thermometer.
- Mix one scoop of powdered calf rennet into a small cup of water until it fully dissolves.
- Slowly pour the rennet mixture into the warm milk, gently whisking until combined.
- Next slowly stir the milk in the opposite direction and let it sit until it becomes coagulated, forming a curd-like consistency.
- To start breaking your curd, cut it into large squares within the pot.
- Wait about 15 minutes until your curd is fully separated from the liquid. You’ll be able to tell by the color of the whey, which turns yellow as it acidifies. The curd will remain vibrant white.
- While the curd is still warm, break it by gently using your whisk to stir the mixture, slowly separating large chunks of curd from the liquid.
- Scrape the sides of the pot to remove any curd that might have gotten stuck.
- Usually, the curd will fall to the bottom of the pot. You can form it into one large mass by reaching in with your hands, squeezing the curd back together and removing any excess liquid.
- Allow your curd to sit in the pot for 8 – 12 hours. Net, remove it from its liquid and gently squeeze out any moisture, before placing it onto a baking sheet.
- Add a few dashes of salt and begin slicing your curd with a knife, checking to make sure there are visible holes from the fermentation process.
- Continue shredding your curd by hand until it’s broken down into small chunks.
- Place these into a large pot and add two large handfuls of salt, mixing together.
- To start the stretching process, pour boiling water around the edges of the curd rather than right on top of it. Stir together until the dough begins to melt.
- As the dough is melting, use a set of wooden spoons to blend it together, making it into a large lump and stretching it out thoroughly.
- Once it’s been stretched out, start breaking your curd into fist-sized balls. Then, place them in a pot of brine.
- Your mozzarella is now ready to be devoured!
- If you want to preserve your freshly made mozzarella for future cooking, just add your cheese curds to a small container with the leftover brine and whey mixtures. Then, you can have homemade mozzarella anytime!
Video
E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate…Enjoy!
Want to make other Cheeses at home?
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