Store bought mozzarella is but a pale shadow of fresh mozzarella. It’s surprisingly easy to pull fresh mozzarella in your own kitchen using our vegetarian rennet and citric acid. Garnish with grapefruit supremes and fresh artichoke hearts over a thick slice of sourdough toast for a perfect small plate to share, or not.
Mozzarella
Ingredients
- Cheese Curd:
- 2000g (½ gallon) Raw Milk
- 120g (4 oz) Water (separated into two portions, 40g and 80g)
- 5.4g (1 tsp) Citric Acid
- ⅛ Rennet Tablet
- 60g (4 Tbsp) Salt
- 1000g (1 quart) Water (For pulling cheese)
- Brine:
- 1000g (1 quart) Water
- 15g (1 tsp) Salt
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Instant Read Thermometer
- Rubber Spatula
Timing
Active Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Yield
~ 600g
-
Heat Milk, Add Citric Acid
In a stainless steel pan or other non-reactive pan pour the milk. Heat the milk to 55°F and be sure to stir well as raw milk has a tendency to separate.
Mix 40g water and citric acid until dissolved. Once dissolved mix into milk.
Heat the milk on low until it reaches 88°F. At this point there will be some minor separation or curdling of milk. This is good, do not worry.
-
Add Rennet & Cut Curds
Mix the rennet tab into 80g water. It will dissolve but not mix completely with water. Remove the milk from the heat and mix in the rennet and water. Stir for 30 seconds. Cover the milk and let sit for 20 minutes.
Once the milk has set it, it will resemble a soft custard. Use a knife to cut horizontal and vertical cuts into the milk. The cuts should look like a 1 inch by 1 inch checkerboard pattern.
-
Increase Heat
Return to heat and bring the curds up to 110°F. The whey will start to separate from the curds. Stir gently as to not break up the curds too much. Once the curds are ready they will become soft to the touch but separate from the clear whey.
The internal temperature of the curds should be 110°F before moving on.
-
Strain Curds
Using a slotted spoon or ladle remove the curds from the whey. Strain the whey into a separate bowl and reserve. Strain the curd before moving on, about 1 minute.
Heat the water for pulling cheese to 190°F.
Place the curd into a bowl and cover with 60g salt. The majority of this will be rinsed off.
-
Pull Cheese
Pour half of the heated 1000g of water and stir gently. The curds should begin to stretch into mozzarella. If they do not stretch, you can add more. Use a silicone spatula to test and see if the mozzarella will stretch properly. It should stretch about 2 feet or more without a clean break.
Gather 1/2 the curds into a loose ball. Start to stretch the curds until they look smooth and glossy. Fold the mozzarella into itself so that it makes a smooth ball. Repeat until all the mozzarella is in ball form.
In a container mix together 1000g water and 15g salt for the brine.
Place the mozzarella into the cool brine and store.
Grapefruit Artichoke Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Pink Grapefruit
- 4 ml (5-7 drops) Pectinex
- 1000g (1 quart) Water
- 1 Jar High Quality Artichoke Hearts
- 1 Fennel Bulb
- 1 Recipe Mozzarella (above)
- 5 Large Garlic Cloves, Peeled
- 500g (1 pint) Olive Oil
- 60g (4 tbsp) Sugar
- 30g (2 tbsp) Lemon Juice
- 1 sliced of No-Knead Bread Loaf
Equipment
- Mandoline
Timing
Active Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 4 Hours
Yield
4 Portions
-
Prepare Grapefruit
In a small container place the peeled grapefruit segments and add the water and pectinex.
Let this sit for 4 hours or until the segments can easily be peeled.
-
Prepare Garlic & Fennel Bulb
In a small heavy pot place the garlic and olive oil. Heat this mixture to 250F and remove from the heat. Allow the garlic to cook in the hot oil until the garlic has softened.
Use a mandoline to thinly shave the fennel bulb set aside until needed.
Mix together the sugar and lemon juice and place it in a small squirt bottle or dish for dressing.
-
Pan Fry Bread
Once all ingredients have been prepared, brush one slice of bread with some of the garlic and olive oil.
Place a saute pan over medium high heat and toast the bread in the pan. The crispier the bread gets, the better it will be.
-
Mix Salad
In a small bowl place 3 artichoke hearts, 4 cloves of garlic, 3 grapefruit supremes, and ½ cup of shaved fennel.
Dress the salad with 22.5g (1 ½ Tbsp) of the lemon and sugar mixture and set aside.
-
Plate & Serve
Lay some freshly made mozzarella over the top and allow it to melt into the bread.
Dress the mozzarella toast with the salad and garnish with fennel frauns before serving.
Serve immediately.
Summary
Recipe Name
Fresh Mozzarella with Grapefruit Artichoke Salad
Author Name
Modernist Pantry
Published On
Preparation Time
Total Time
Average Rating
Based on 1 Review(s)
Comments (3)
May 4, 2020 10:58 am
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