Homemade Mozzarella

Gather all necessary equipment: a 5-liter pot, a large pot for a water bath, a kitchen thermometer, two bowls, and a microwave-safe container (all approximately 1 liter in volume), heat-resistant rubber gloves, a knife, and a slotted spoon.

Boil 1-2 liters of water and rinse a smaller pot, bowls, knife, and skimmer with it for sterilization. Fill both 1-liter bowls with water; place one in the refrigerator and the other in the freezer. Pour 100 ml of room-temperature water into a cup, add citric acid, and stir thoroughly. In another clean cup, mix 50 ml of room-temperature water with lipase and let it sit in a warm place for about 20 minutes.

Fill a large pot about halfway with water. Place it over high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. In a 5-liter pot, combine the cold milk and citric acid solution. Heat the mixture, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes until it reaches 32°C.

Pour 50 ml of water into a heatproof cup and heat it in the microwave to 30–35 °C. Dissolve the liquid rennet in it. Pour the lipase solution into the warm milk mixture, stir, and remove the pot from the water bath. Add the rennet solution and stir everything with up and down motions for 1 minute. Cover the pot and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.

After some time, check the milk mixture: it should separate into a dense curd and whey. If the liquid is not yet clear, let the mixture stand for another 2–3 minutes. Cut the milk curd into large cubes and place the pot back on the double boiler. Heat the mixture, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes until it reaches 41 °C. Turn off the heat under the double boiler and stir the cheese in the pot for another 2–5 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cheese curds to a sieve and allow all the liquid to drain. Season with salt and mix thoroughly.

Heat the whey to 70 °C. Put on heat-resistant gloves and carefully, using a slotted spoon, dip the cheese mass into the whey. Then, stretch and compress the cheese mass several times with your gloved hands until it becomes firm. Form balls from the entire mass.

Place the mozzarella balls in a bowl of chilled water from the refrigerator and let them soak for about 15 minutes. Allow the cheese to air dry on a cutting board or silicone mat.

Slice the homemade mozzarella into rounds and serve with juicy tomatoes and fresh basil for an unforgettable impression!