Mizithra cheese, now that’s a special one! You won’t find it everywhere, but it’s a treasure if you’re lucky enough. So let me tell you a bit about what goes into makin’ it, in case you ever wanna try makin’ some at home. It ain’t too complicated, but you gotta get the right stuff.
First off, you need a gallon of whole milk. Don’t be shy with the milk, you need a good bit of it to make that creamy cheese. Then, you add a cup of buttermilk. You know, that stuff that’s leftover after you churn cream into butter? It helps make the cheese nice and tangy. Next, you need a little teaspoon of liquid rennet. That’s what helps the milk curdle up, turnin’ into curds and whey, just like in the old nursery rhyme. And don’t forget the kosher salt! It’s important to season it just right.
Now, once you got all that, you heat the milk in a big ol’ pot. Warm it up, but don’t boil it. Just enough to get it cozy. Then, mix in your buttermilk and let that sit for a while. After a bit, add your rennet. Stir it gently, and then let it sit again. You’ll see the curds start to form, and that’s when the magic happens!
After that, you drain the whey and press the curds into a mold. You can let it sit for a while, dependin’ on how firm you want the cheese. If you want that saltier, drier kind of Mizithra like they got in Greece, you leave it for a while longer and press it good.
There’s another kind too, sour Mizithra, or xinomyzithra if you’re lookin’ for the fancy name. This one’s made from goat or sheep milk, and it’s a bit more tangy. Some folks even use yeast in it to get that sour taste.
Mizithra’s a versatile cheese. You can eat it fresh, like a soft ricotta, or you can let it dry out and crumble it over dishes like pasta. I tell ya, it’s got a flavor that can’t be beat!
Now, that’s the gist of it, but of course, you can tweak it to your taste. Some folks might add a little extra salt, or play around with the milk-to-whey ratio. The key’s in that balance, so it ain’t too soft or too hard. If you like your cheese with a little more zing, the sour kind might be what you’re lookin’ for. Either way, Mizithra cheese is somethin’ to try if you haven’t already. It’s worth the effort, I promise you that!
Tags：[Mizithra cheese, cheese ingredients, Greek cheese, whey cheese, homemade cheese, ricotta cheese, goat milk cheese, sheep milk cheese, sour Mizithra, Greek recipes]
