How To Make Feta Cheese

Feta cheese is the name of an aged cheese that is native to Greece. Made with goat milk, at times with sheep milk and cow milk as well, it is usually available in the form of blocks. A brined curd cheese, Feta has a slightly grainy texture. It is mainly used as a table cheese, apart from being an ingredient in salads (especially Greek salad), pastries and baking. Feta’s consistency can range from soft to semi-hard and usually has a tangy, salty flavor. In the following lines, we will tell you how to make feta cheese at home.

Homemade Feta Cheese Recipe

Supplies Needed

1 Gallon Fresh Goat's Milk
1/2 tablet Rennet
Stainless Steel Pot (enough to hold 1.5 gallons)
1 tbsp Fresh Yogurt

Instructions

Pour the milk into the pot and heat it till it reaches the temperature of 88 deg F. Throughout the heating process, make sure to stir the milk constantly, so that it doesn't burn.
Take a bowl and mix yoghurt and 1 tablespoon milk in it.
Stir in the yogurt/milk blend into the warm goat milk and mix well.
Now, turn off the heat and cover the milk. Allow it to sit at room temperature, for one hour.
Take half a cup of cool water and dissolve the rennet in it.
Pour the dissolved rennet in the milk pot and mix thoroughly.
Let the milk pot sit at room temperature, throughout the night.
In the morning, check the milk. It should have gelled properly, forming curd, leaving some of the whey separate from the rest. If not, let it rest for some more time.
After the milk has gelled, start cutting the curd from one side, straight down to the bottom.
Now, make another cut in the curd, about 1/2 of an inch from the first cut and repeat.
With the help of your fingers, lift the curd pieces to stir slightly. Now, cut them into 1/2 inch cubes.
After cutting the cubes, let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring them every 5 minutes.
Take a strainer and line it with a handkerchief. Pour the curd pieces into the handkerchief, removing the whey in the process. Make sure to save the whey for later use.
Keep on straining the pieces through the strainer, till the time no more whey is left. This may take several hours.
After the curd pieces have been strained properly, put them in a bowl and mix in 1/2 tsp salt. It will break up the curds, forming the feta.
Press the feta into a mold, to help it keep shape. Now, let it sit at room temperature, overnight.
Now is the time to prepare brine. For the purpose, add 5 tbsp salt to 20 oz whey (saved earlier). Stir well, until the salt dissolves.
Cut the feta into small cubs and put them in a jar. Pour brine, prepared in the earlier step, over it and cover the cubes completely with it.
Place the jar in the fridge and let it remain there for several days. It will help feta dry considerably and make it easy to crumble.
Feta cheese is ready! Store it in the fridge. Before using it for consumption purposes, rinse well with water, to remove excess salt.

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