Fetta recipe

[Hayhay]

You will need:
- 8 litres unhomogenised milk
- 160ml ultra-pasteurised milk
- Type A starter culture
- Rennet

The night before:
- Boil 1/2 litre of water to cool overnight.
- Prepare the starter. Add a few grains of Type A starter culture to 160ml (or more) of ultrapasteurised milk, which has been brought to 25 - 30C. Shake to mix and maintain temperature at 20 - 30C overnight. (you must use the starter within 2 days)

To make the feta:
- Heat milk to 32C
- Place milk into an appropriate sized container (I use a plastic tub).
- Add the starter culture. Mix in well.
- You can add lipase now if you prefer (I'm vegie so I don't). Dissolve 1/4 teaspoon in cool boiled water. Mix in well to milk.
- Dilute 1.28ml of rennet into 12.8ml of cool boiled water. Immediately pour into the milk whilst stirring and stir well for between 1 and 3 minutes - no more.
- Wrap the container up well to maintain temperature (I use a few towels). Leave to set for 60 - 90 minutes.
-After 60 minutes check the firmness of the curd. Once at desired firmness, cut into 1cm cubes; lengthways, widthways and across.
-Leave curd to stand for 1 hour.
- Gently stir the curd by lifting and turning with a slotted spoon.
- Leave to stand for 1 more hour. Then stir again.
- Drain off whey then spoon curd into feta baskets. Place a piece of cheesecloth over the top.
- After 1/2 hour, upend the basket. After another 1/2 hour, flip the basket again. Continue turning every two hours. Leave overnight at room temperature.

Make brine for next day. For a 12% solution bring 880ml of water and 120g of salt to boiling point. Allow to cool and store in the fridge. Or for a 15% solution (VERY salty!) use 150g salt in 850ml water.


Next day:
Remove feta from the basket and place into the brine. The best container is one that is only just bigger than the feta.

You can store the feta for 2 months in the fridge this way. Or you can cut it into cubes and store in oil.

[pam]

Thanks for posting this recipe Hayley; as soon as the school holidays are over I will have a go at it.
Cheers
Pam