While exploring Sicily and wandering through the pages of Cucina Siciliana (...a recently bought Sicilian cookbook...)
I found a plethora of soft and hard cheese recipes. Since recently trying my hand at Goat Cheese (very good)
and because I am making a complete Sicilian Brunch soon for a good friend, I decided to try my hand at making all the cheeses I will need as ingredients.
For the anti-pasto I am preparing Green Olives Stuffed with Feta
FETA RECIPE
1/2 gallon whole milk (can use grocery milk...not ultra-pasteurized though)
1 tablespoon Greek Yogurt (any plain)
1/4 Rennet Tablet (I am using Junket Rennet)
Warm milk to 89 degrees or until it it lukewarm.
Add tablespoon of yogurt and stir well.
Dissolve rennet quarter into 1/4 cup cool water and add.
Cover and let sit overnight.
The next morning cut curds with stainless steel knife.
Gather into muslin or cheesecloth ball to strain whey. Reserve whey for Ricotta later.
After ball has stopped dripping
Place on plate in refrigerator to firm.
Once firm you can press into a mold for a square or rectangle of cheese or crumble for Feta Crumbles.
Brining Solution
1 cup water
5 tablespoons sea salt
Feta requires brine for its particular flavour.
After molding or crumbling submerse and store refrigerated) in brining solution. Drain and rinse before using.
My Feta Crumbles before the Brine. To use for stuffing my olives and also to top a mixed-green salad.
Since I am planning to make Petoni (Sicilian Meat,Cheese and Vegetable Hand-Pie) I will also need Mozzarella Cheese.
Mozzarella Cheese
1 Gallon Whole or 2 Percent Milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 whole lemon)
1/2 Rennet Tablet
Heat milk to 99 degrees or very warm but not boiling.
Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat. Cover for 3 hours.
Cut curd and replace on heat.
Bring curd (and whey) to 108 degrees and hold at this temperature for 3 minutes. Stir curds gently and do not let scorch or boil.
Drain and reserve whey (can add to Feta whey) to make Ricotta.
Gather Mozzarella in cheesecloth and drain until dripping stops.
Add 1 teaspoon of salt to curds and mix it in well.
Put in microwave proof bowl and microwave on High for 45 seconds.
Remove and let cool until you can touch it, but still quite warm.
Stretch cheese like pulling taffy. This is what gives Mozzarella its stringy quality.
Then shape into a ball and submerse in ice water.
Can be kept (after draining) in a zip-lock plastic bag in the refrigerator.
(stock photo: Hand-pulling Mozzarella)
And finally...Ricotta. Mine will be used in the Cannoli I am making for dessert.
Ricotta is the leftover crumbs of cheese, really.
Ricotta Cheese
Use all of the leftover whey from your cheese-making.
Boil whey in a large stainless steel pot for 5 minutes. You will see tiny curds forming throughout.
Strain through cheesecloth...what you have left (grainy) in the cloth will be Ricotta Cheese.
Add Confectioners sugar to sweeten if you are using it for desserts.
Add salt, herbs or something savory if using in a meat dish like lasagne.
Hard to imagine that these tiny bits of leftover cheese- can end up sweetened and stuffing these!
But that is a recipe for another time!
More Anon...
Shelby-Cat Greeting the Day
