Feta Cheese
A source of protein and calcium, feta cheese supports bone and muscle health. Its salty flavor perfectly complements salads and snacks, adding variety to the diet.
Pasteurize 5 liters of milk.
Heat it to 32 degrees if you want a soft feta that can be spread on bread. If you prefer a firmer, more rubbery feta, heat it to 37 degrees. However, this type of feta will not be spreadable. Turn off the heat.
Add Ingredients
Add calcium chloride.
Add mesophilic culture.
If desired, or if you haven’t pasteurized the milk, add a protective culture.
Wait 3 minutes, then mix well. After that, wait another 45 minutes.
It is advisable to maintain the selected temperature (32 or 37 degrees) during the 45 minutes. To do this, you can cover the pot with a blanket.
After 45 minutes, add the rennet, mix well, and let the milk set. After 20 minutes, start checking for a clean break.
Form the Curd
Once the curd is ready, cut it into 1.5-centimeter cubes vertically and horizontally. Then cut horizontally. Wait for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, gently stir the curds with a spatula. Stir for 10 minutes.
Let it rest for another 5 minutes, then remove the excess whey to make it easier to transfer the curds into molds.
Form the Cheese
Transfer the curds into molds.
Do not discard the whey – later, it will be used to make brine for salting the feta.
For the next 3 hours, turn the cheese every 30 minutes.
Then leave the cheese in the molds for another 24 hours at room temperature, turning it occasionally.
Salt the Cheese
After 24 hours, prepare the brine for the feta.
To do this, add salt to the whey, mix, and taste it. The whey should be slightly saltier than you want your feta to be. You can start with a tablespoon of salt.
If you haven’t saved the whey, make a classic 20% brine with water (200g of salt per 1 liter of water).
However, keep in mind that when salting and aging in water, the cheese heads may become soapy.
Place the cheese heads in the salt solution to mature for 2 weeks at a temperature of 10-12 degrees.
The cheese heads should be fully submerged in the brine, so if they float, weigh them down with something.
For even salting, turn the cheese heads daily.
After 2 weeks, remove the feta from the brine, dry it with a paper towel or cloth, wrap it in parchment paper, and place it in a storage container. The cheese is ready.
If you feel that the feta is not salty or tangy enough, you can leave it in the brine for more than 2 weeks.
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