A first wheel of fresh cheese

Three ingredients, a thermometer, eight hours, and a wheel of fresh cheese at the end.

Serves 1480 minambitious

Ingredients

  • 2 litre Whole milk · pasteurised
  • 60 ml Lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Sea salt
  • 1 each Cheesecloth

Method

  1. Heat the milk slowly to 90°C / 195°F in a heavy pot, stirring so it doesn't catch.

  2. Off the heat, add the lemon juice. Stir twice. Let stand 10 minutes — the curds should separate cleanly.

  3. Line a colander with the cheesecloth, set over a bowl, and ladle in the curds. Drain 30 minutes for ricotta, 2 hours for paneer, overnight for a firmer wheel.

  4. Salt to taste. Eat warm with bread and honey; or press, cool, and age for cheese number two.