Frederic Melton
Mozzarella is a semi-soft, non-aged cheese with Italian origins. It is traditionally made from the milk of water buffalo, but today, most mozzarella is made from cow's milk. The process of making fresh mozzarella involves coagulating milk into curds, separating the curds from the whey, and then stretching and shaping the curds into a ball. The cheese is then served fresh or stored in whey or brine for up to a week. Fresh mozzarella is known for its mild, milky flavour and is often used in Italian dishes such as pizza and caprese salad.
How is Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Made?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Milk, rennet, citric acid, water |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk, buffalo milk, sheep's milk, goat's milk |
| Milk Temperature | 32ºC/90ºF |
| Milk Pasteurization | Avoid homogenized or ultra-pasteurized milk |
| Process | Coagulate milk into curds, drain and slice curds, separate curds from whey, stretch and fold curds, shape into balls, cool |
| Storage | Fridge, whey, brine, freezer |
| Serving | Serve immediately, can be stored for up to a week in whey or brine |
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What You'll Learn
Ingredients
Fresh mozzarella is a semi-soft, non-aged cheese with a delicate, milky flavour. It is traditionally made from the milk of water buffalo, but today, most mozzarella is made from cow's milk. Sheep's milk mozzarella is also available in some areas of Italy, including Sardinia, Abruzzo, and Lazio, and some small producers make goat's milk mozzarella.
Mozzarella is made using the pasta filata, or 'stretched-curd' method. The following ingredients are required to make fresh mozzarella:
Milk
Mozzarella is traditionally made from the milk of water buffalo, but today, most mozzarella is made from cow's milk. Sheep's milk mozzarella is also available in some areas of Italy, including Sardinia, Abruzzo, and Lazio, and some small producers make goat's milk mozzarella.
The milk used should be fresh, whole, and raw for the best results. Skimmed milk or pasteurised milk can also be used, but homogenised or ultra-pasteurised milk should be avoided.
Citric Acid
Citric acid is added to the milk to begin the coagulation process. It can be purchased from specialty markets and health food stores that cater to home cheesemakers, or online.
Rennet
Rennet is added to the milk to complete the coagulation process. It can be purchased from specialty markets and health food stores that cater to home cheesemakers, or online. Vegetable rennet is also an option.
Water
Water is used to dilute the citric acid and rennet before they are added to the milk.
Salt
Salt is added to the curds after they have been stretched and folded into a ball.
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Curdling the milk
The first step in making fresh mozzarella cheese is to curdle the milk. This process involves turning milk into cheese by causing the caseins (one of the two types of proteins in milk) to coagulate into milky curds, leaving behind a cloudy, watery by-product called whey. To do this, you'll need milk, citric acid, and rennet.
Start by mixing the citric acid with water and stirring until it is dissolved. Do the same with the rennet in a separate bowl. For best results, use fresh, whole raw milk. However, you can also use skimmed milk or pasteurized milk. Just be sure to avoid homogenized or ultra-pasteurized milk, as this can affect the coagulation process and the final texture of the cheese.
Next, pour the milk into a large pot and add the citric acid mixture. Warm the mixture over medium heat, stirring slowly but constantly, until the milk reaches 32ºC/90ºF. Remove from the heat as soon as you reach this temperature. Now, add the rennet mixture to the warm milk and stir a few times slowly to mix well.
At this point, the milk will begin to coagulate and separate into curds and whey. The curds will become the cheese, while the whey is the watery by-product. Keep the curds in the hot liquid for a few minutes. The curds should become stretchy and slightly smooshy, resembling melted cheese.
Finally, remove the curds from the hot whey/water and add some salt. Now, you're ready to stretch and fold the curds onto themselves, as if you were working with taffy. It's important to note that you shouldn't knead the curds like bread dough, as this can affect the texture of the final product. Instead, simply lift the mass out of the whey and slowly draw the curds apart. If the curds resist, return them to the hot whey and try again.
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Draining and shaping the curds
Draining the curds is an important step in the mozzarella-making process. Once the milk has been heated and the curds have separated from the whey, they need to be drained of excess liquid. This can be done by gently squeezing the cheesecloth to remove as much liquid as possible. The whey can be discarded, or it can be saved and used to make ricotta later.
After draining, the curds are placed on a cutting board and shaped into a rough ball. This is where gloves come in handy, as you will need to protect your hands from the hot water. The curds are then dipped into very hot water, which helps to smooth and stretch them out. The hotter the water, the better, as this will make the curds more pliable and easier to work with.
The curds will be crumbly at first, but as you continue to dip, stretch, and fold them, they will become smoother and more stretchable. It's important not to overwork the curds, as this can make the final product rubbery. Instead, let them stretch themselves, and return them to the hot water if they become difficult to work with.
Once the curds have reached the desired level of smoothness, they are ready to be shaped into a ball. This is done by first forming them into a flat circle and then pressing the sides together to create a ball shape. It's important to work quickly during this step, as the curds will start to cool down and become more difficult to work with.
Finally, the mozzarella balls are cooled and can be served immediately or stored in the fridge. They can be stored in their whey or in a salted brine for up to a week, or frozen for up to six months.
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Stretching and kneading the cheese
Firstly, the curds should be removed from the hot whey/water. It is important that the curds are not overworked during this process, as this can result in a rubbery texture. Instead, the curds should be allowed to stretch themselves, with minimal pulling or tearing. If the curds are resisting, they can be returned to the hot whey and heated further.
Once removed from the whey, the curds are stretched and folded onto themselves, like taffy. This is repeated until they become shiny and firm, usually after just a few folds. The curds can then be shaped into a flat circle and then pressed into a ball.
If the mozzarella is difficult to shape or comes apart while stretching, it can be placed back into the hot liquid and heated further. This will help it to take on a final, smooth ball shape.
The stretching and kneading process is a delicate one, and the key to success is to work the cheese as little as possible. This will result in a softer, creamier mozzarella.
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Storing fresh mozzarella
Fresh mozzarella is a semi-soft, non-aged cheese with a high moisture content. It is best consumed fresh and at room temperature the same day it is purchased. However, if stored properly, you can keep it for a few days.
When storing fresh mozzarella, it is important to keep it in an airtight container and immersed in cold water or olive oil. Change the water when it becomes murky. You can also add salt to the water. This method of storage will keep the mozzarella fresh for up to five days.
Fresh mozzarella can also be stored in the liquid it comes in, which is likely whey, and kept in the refrigerator. This will also help keep the mozzarella nice and fresh.
If you choose to freeze mozzarella, be aware that it will change the texture of the cheese, making it crumbly instead of smooth and creamy. The water content in the cheese can also form crystals. If you do decide to freeze it, cut the cheese into the desired portion size, wrap each piece in aluminium foil or plastic wrap, and place it in a freezer-safe container.
High-quality mozzarella is usually never refrigerated as the cold temperature causes the cheese to reabsorb its extra milky water.
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Frequently asked questions
You need milk, water, rennet, and citric acid.
Fresh, whole, raw milk is best for making mozzarella cheese. However, you can also use skimmed milk or pasteurized milk. Avoid homogenized or ultra-pasteurized milk.
The process of making fresh mozzarella cheese is surprisingly easy and fun. It can be done in under an hour, especially once you get the hang of it.
