Feta Cheese

Today, I made Feta Cheese. I should have made some other cheese as well. I have a full milk fridge.

Here is my recipe.

Warm 2 gallons of milk to 86 degrees. It will stay at this temperature through out the process.

Put 1/4 tsp. of lipase powder in a small cup. Add one packet of mesophilic direct set culture. Put a little of the warm milk into the cup and mix well. Then add this to the milk and stir well. Dana, remember the up/down stir.... do it 20 times. Cover the milk and let it sit for 30 mins.

Then put 1/4 cup of cool water in your little cup (rinse first). Add 1/2 tsp. of rennet into the water and stir. Then add to the milk and stir well just like above. Cover and let set for 30 mins.

Test the curd for doneness by making sure the curd is set in the center top of the pot. When you stick your thermometer in and lift up, there should be a clean break. Cut the curds into cubes. You can use a knife or I use a large whisk. You need to be gentle with the curds.

You are going to stir the curds for 20 to 30 mins. I think you are supposed to stir them the whole time, I do take breaks, but stir them often. When you are done, the curds should look like cottage cheese.

Put a colander in the sink and place a cheese basket (See picture below) in the colander. Fill it with curds and set aside. Fill a second basket with curds. Two is all you should need. I take the same pot that I made the cheese in and use it for the next step. I put a canning ring (wide mouth) in the bottom of the pan near one side. Then I set the baskets one on top of the other on top of the canning ring. This keeps the cheese out of the whey. Then put the lid on so it remains in a moist enviroment. In about 20 mins, take the 2 baskets out. Turn the cheese over in each basket and then place them back in the pan, with the one that was on the top, now on the bottom. If there is a large accumulation of whey, empty the pan before you put them back in. There is no press involved with this process... just the weight of the other basket of cheese. Do this about 4 times and then let them sit over night.

They next day they should be pretty firm and about half of their original size. Take them out and put them in a brine. Let them brine for at least 3 days before using. YUM!!!