Mozzarella

Ingredients

• 3/4 teaspoon citric acid*, dissolved in 1/2 cup of cold water
• 1/4 rennet tablet*, dissolved in 1/8 cup of cold water
• 1/2 gallon whole milk.
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• kitchen thermometer

Directions

• Pour milk into a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the citric acid/water mixture, and stir gently until milk reaches 90 F.
• Remove pot from heat; slowly stir in the rennet solution, using an up-and-down motion with your slotted spoon. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Then inspect the curd; it should resemble a custard if pressed gently with your finger.
• When you reach the point where your cheese curds have set into a soft, custard-like consistency, cut a cross-hatch pattern into the curds using a long, sharp knife.
• Then, cook your curds to 105 degrees before draining of the liquid whey.
• Once your cheese curds are cooked and drained, heat them until they can be stretched.
• Stretch the cheese and fold it back on itself. ‎If it tears, add more heat and fold in salt. The more you fold the cheese the more string-like it becomes.Tear off pieces and roll into balls, serve warm with olive oil and sea salt.