Something got into me recently, and I’ve been all about turning milk into dairy products lately. Perhaps it’s this gray winter weather that has me longing for summer and all the locally grown food that comes along with it. I’ve made my own ricotta cheese, yogurt, clotted cream and more recently – fresh mozzarella. 

Making fresh mozzarella is incredibly easy in terms of cheese-making, because there’s no aging of the cheese involved. All you need is milk, citric acid, rennet, a slotted spoon, a colander, a large pot and a digital food thermometer. I found the cheese-making supplies from Amazon. (These are not affiliate links.)

I’ve tried a few methods, and my favorite resource has been the Kitchn. They give so many great tips!

Get Fresh Mozzarella Recipe! 

I’ve tried both the microwave method and the non-microwave version, heating the curds in the pot of whey. I found that this version was more elastic and creamy, like a fresh mozzarella vs. a low-moisture mozzarella. However, the microwave method is the easiest for sure!

A good fresh mozzarella brings back fond memories of a little cheese shop in a town my family and I camped close to in the Italian Alps, at the foot of Mont Blanc. Having this fresh cheese on hand inspires me to slice up some good tomatoes and serve them sprinkled with salt and pepper and drizzled in oil. Or to make some Margarita pizza, lasagna, Caprese salad, or chicken Parmesan. There’s so many delicious ways to use fresh mozzarella!

Caprese Salad

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Peach, Basil & Mozzarella Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Baked Gnocchi with Mozzarella, Spinach and Cherry Tomato

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