On the shelves of stores not so long ago a new product appeared, which immediately fell to the taste of many - mozzarella. What is this delicacy, and what is the use of it? Let's figure it out.
Mozzarella is a young tender cheese. For the first time to experience the taste of this wonderful product is best in its historical homeland - in the Italian region of Campania. For Italians, mozzarella is a national pride, along with Venice and the Coliseum. Once in this country, be sure to try giornata, the most delicious one-day mozzarella variety. You can’t enjoy its taste anywhere except Italy.
So, mozzarella: what is it and where does this product come from, it became clear. Now we learn the features of cheese making.
The classic recipe for mozzarella involves the use of milk of black buffalo, but today, cow is increasingly used for its production. For the preparation of mozzarella, only selected milk is taken, fermented with a special dairy culture. Due to rennet, coagulation of milk occurs. Then, after heating, the whey is separated, the workpiece is mixed until an elastic cheese mass is obtained, heating several more times. At the last stage, pieces are cut from the resulting mass and balls or pigtails of various sizes are formed and immersed in a cold concentrated saline solution.
The aroma of homemade milk, delicate creamy taste, elastic texture - all this is mozzarella. That it is also a very useful product, few know.
A popular Italian cheese is rich in vitamins A, B, E, D, K, and also has a significant amount of calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, and selenium in its composition. Such cheese is easily digestible and suitable for dietary nutrition, recommended for pregnant and lactating women.
Mozzarella cheese is an integral part of many Italian dishes. Without it, it is difficult to imagine a classic Italian pizza. Cheese is an important component for dishes such as tagliatelle, mushroom phytouccini, casserole, lasagna, various salads. Caprese is a classic appetizer using mozzarella: slices of ripe tomatoes, alternately arranged with cheese plates, poured with olive oil and sprinkled with basil. It is really delicious.
For those who want to try making mozzarella at home, there is a simple recipe.
Homemade mozzarella will be made from the following ingredients:
- a quarter of a teaspoon of pepsin (rennet);
- two tablespoons of lemon juice;
- two liters of high fat milk;
- two teaspoons of salt;
- two tablespoons of water.
You will need to dilute the rennet with half a glass of water , squeeze the required amount of juice from the lemon. Heat the milk to a temperature of no higher than 70 º, add the ingredients to it. Serum separation begins immediately. The composition does not need to bring to a boil. It is necessary to drain the formed serum and squeeze the resulting mass.
Separately, in a saucepan, bring to a temperature of 90 º a small amount of water and turn off the fire. Dip the cheese in well-salted water for a few minutes, this will give it softness and elasticity. Then you need to stretch and knead the cheese, periodically lowering it into this water. After this, it is necessary to form balls of the desired size from the plastic mass. Store the finished product in the refrigerator in a container with serum.
Gourmet Mozzarella cheese will occupy a worthy place on your table. There is no doubt that this is not only an appetizing, but also a very unusual product.