Cottage cheese
Making cottage cheese is very easy. The result is slightly sweeter than store-bought cottage cheese because it contains no salt, and the texture is different. Anyone who likes mild cheeses, such as ricotta or Cna'an cheese, will fall in love with it right away.
Tip: You can turn the cottage cheese into Indian paneer, which is ideal for frying or cooking. After straining, transfer the cheesecloth with the cottage cheese to a shallow bowl, positioning it so the knot is on the side. Place a plate on top of the cheesecloth and weigh it down with a heavy object. Refrigerate for at least three hours, or overnight. When ready, cut into cubes.
Ingredients (4 servings)
2 liters whole milk, 3% fat
3 tablespoons vinegar
Preparation
- Pour the milk into a pot and heat, stirring occasionally. When the milk comes to a boil, lower the heat and add the vinegar. Continue cooking for about five minutes, stirring, until curds form. They will be larger than those in store-bought cottage cheese. Remove from the heat and let the cheese cool in the pot for about 30 minutes.
- Prepare a clean cheesecloth. Transfer the cheese to the cloth and hang it over a bowl, or place it in a strainer, to drain the liquid. The cheese is ready once it has drained. After two hours, it will be relatively firm. The prepared cheese can be refrigerated for up to three days.
Butter
To make butter, all you need is a mixer, whipping cream and a little patience. Whip the cream on high speed, without adding anything, until it separates into two parts: solids, which become the butter, and a tangy liquid (Congratulations, you have also made buttermilk). The butter can be kept in the refrigerator for a long time.
Tip: The liquid left after the butter forms is buttermilk. You can use it to make pancakes or loaf cakes in place of milk, or drink it as is.
Ingredients (4 servings)
38% fat whipping cream
Preparation
- Pour the cream into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat continuously on high speed. After about five minutes, it will become very firm whipped cream. Continue beating for another six to eight minutes, until tiny butter clumps form. Beat for another five to six minutes (careful, it may splatter) until the particles turn into larger clumps. Stop the mixer.
- Strain the butter from the liquid, reserving the liquid separately to use as buttermilk. Rinse the butter once. Serve or store in the refrigerator.
Homemade cream cheese
Ever since I started making cream cheese at home, my daughter no longer wants me to buy it at the grocery store. Beyond its health benefits, it is simply delicious.
Ingredients (4 servings)
2 containers, 400 ml total, 27% fat sour cream
2 containers, 400 ml total, 15% fat sour cream
2/3 teaspoon salt
Preparation
- Place a strainer over a bowl, making sure the bottom of the strainer does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Line the strainer with clean cheesecloth. Add both types of sour cream and the salt. Stir gently. Close the cloth, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for seven hours.
- Transfer to a suitable container and serve. The cheese can be refrigerated for up to two weeks.
Homemade labneh balls
Tips:
For best results, use Greek-style yogurt.
Prefer labneh spread? Refrigerate it in the cheesecloth for only 24 hours, then transfer it to a container. Drizzle with a little olive oil and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Ingredients (6 servings)
750 to 780 grams yogurt, at least 4% fat
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
For preserving: canola oil or sunflower oil, or any vegetable oil that does not solidify
For serving: olive oil, za’atar, scallions, sesame seeds, black sesame seeds
Preparation
- Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and place it over a bowl. Add all the ingredients, mix, taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Tie the ends of the cheesecloth tightly, hang it from the faucet over the sink and squeeze to release liquid. Leave it hanging for four hours to drain.
- Return the cheesecloth to the strainer over the bowl and refrigerate for 24 hours. Every few hours, squeeze the cloth and empty the liquid from the bowl.
- The next day, place a weight, such as canned goods, on top of the cheesecloth and refrigerate for another six to seven hours.
- With oiled hands, shape the labneh into balls and place them in a glass container. Pour oil over them until fully covered. Cover and refrigerate until serving (up to three days).
- To serve, transfer the labneh balls to a plate, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with za’atar, sesame seeds or scallions, to taste.
Vegan: Homemade tofu mozzarella
How good is this mozzarella? Good enough to star in a Caprese salad. Add tomatoes, basil and, if you like, red onion, then season with coarse salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar.
Ingredients (4 servings)
1 package, 300 grams tofu
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
Preparation
- Cut the tofu into circles about 3 centimeters wide, preferably using a cookie cutter. Transfer them to a jar.
- Add the lemon juice, salt and olive oil, then add enough water to cover the tofu. Seal the jar and refrigerate overnight, or longer. It can be kept refrigerated for up to five days.
Tip: Use the leftover tofu scraps to make a “cottage cheese”-style spread. Finely chop the scraps and marinate them in a separate jar the same way.