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You are here: Home / Recipes / Appetizers / HOMEMADE ITALIAN FRESH CHEESE “GIUNCATA” ready in a few hours!

HOMEMADE ITALIAN FRESH CHEESE “GIUNCATA” ready in a few hours!

09/02/2015 by Filippo Trapella Leave a Comment

HOMEMADE FRESH CHEESE ready in a few hours!

A few days ago , I have been desiring so much some fresh cheese, the same I use to taste in my childhood! Fine, soft, and delicate cheese with its  unmistakable scent of milk… and so… I cooked it! The most famous fresh Italian cheese is called “Giuncata”. Its name descend from the traditional molds made with canes (canes = giunchi in Italian), used to store it. The Giuncata is a soft, and tasty cheese, and it’s and healthy as well! It’s ready in a few hours to be enjoyed with tomato salad, cured meats or even simply speared on a slice of bread!

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giuncata

  • 1/2 gal. (1.85 lt) whole milk Grade A pasteurized
  • 2 tbsp plain yoghurt
  • 1/2 tsp liquid rennet
  • 1 tsp table salt

 

A FEW WORDS BEFORE STARTING

The best milk to make a good fresh cheese would be not pasteurized. But, nowadays, unless you know a responsible farmer, it’s very difficult to get it; Therefore, opt for milk pasteurized as little as possible. To promote the cheese fermentation process, it’s strongly suggested add some spoons of yoghurt. Because we will work with basically three ingredients, the success of our cheese depends on high quality products. To control the temperature a cooking thermometer is essential; It’s possible buy it here for a few dollars, or buy in a specialized shop.

HOMEMADE FRESH CHEESE ready in a few hours!

FIRST STEPS

First, pour the milk into a large pot and heat over low heat, until the milk reaches 100 ° F. At this point, turn off the heat, add the yogurt, and mix with a wooden spoon.

HOMEMADE FRESH CHEESE ready in a few hours!

RENNET

Let the milk rest far from the heat, until it has reached a temperature of 95 ° F, then add rennet. Mix well, cover with a lid and let stand at least 1 hour without moving the pot for any reason.

HOMEMADE FRESH CHEESE ready in a few hours!

CUT THE CURD!

Once the mixture will become a dense curd, as a flan, cut it as checkerboard into cubes 2 inches wide. Then, cover and let stand 20 minutes. After this time, cut the curd again into smaller cubes. Let rest another 20 minutes.

HOMEMADE FRESH CHEESE ready in a few hours!

“GIUNCATA” ITALIAN FRESH CHEESE

Pour the curd into cheese molds. Fill the molds as much as possible, pressing the curd. When the molds are all full, put on a grid over a baking sheet to collect the licking serum. Cover the molds with plastic wrap, and transfer everything into the fridge. Let rest the cheese, until it will be reduced at least by half. It will take about eight hours. It is possible eat the cheese immediately, or store it for up to two days.

HOMEMADE FRESH CHEESE ready in a few hours!

HOMEMADE FRESH CHEESE ready in a few hours!

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS

HOMEMADE SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

HOMEMADE SUN-DRIED TOMATOES preserved in olive oil

PRINTABLE VERSION

HOMEMADE ITALIAN FRESH CHEESE "GIUNCATA" ready in a few hours!
 
Print
Prep time
2 hours
Total time
2 hours
 
A few days ago , I have been desiring so much some fresh cheese, the same I use to taste in my childhood! Fine, soft, and delicate cheese with its unmistakable scent of milk… and so... I cooked it! The most famous fresh Italian cheese is called “Giuncata”. Its name descend from the traditional molds made with canes (canes = giunchi in Italian), used to store it. The Giuncata is a soft, and tasty cheese, and it's and healthy as well! It’s ready in a few hours to be enjoyed with tomato salad, cured meats or even simply speared on a slice of bread!
Author: Filippo Trapella - philosokitchen.com
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1/2 gal. (1.85 lt) whole milk Grade A pasteurized
  • 2 tbsp plain yoghurt
  • 1/2 tsp liquid rennet
  • 1 tsp table salt
Instructions
  1. A FEW WORDS BEFORE STARTING
    The best milk to make a good fresh cheese would be not pasteurized. But, nowadays, unless you know a responsible farmer, it’s very difficult to get it; Therefore, opt for milk pasteurized as little as possible. To promote the cheese fermentation process, it’s strongly suggested add some spoons of yoghurt. Because we will work with basically three ingredients, the success of our cheese depends on high quality products. To control the temperature a cooking thermometer is essential; It’s possible buy it here for a few dollars, or buy in a specialized shop.
  2. FIRST STEPS
    First, pour the milk into a large pot and heat over low heat, until the milk reaches 100 ° F. At this point, turn off the heat, add the yogurt, and mix with a wooden spoon.
  3. RENNET
    Let the milk rest far from the heat, until it has reached a temperature of 95 ° F, then add rennet. Mix well, cover with a lid and let stand at least 1 hour without moving the pot for any reason.
  4. CUT THE CURD![/b
    ]Once the mixture will become a dense curd, as a flan, cut it as checkerboard into cubes 2 inches wide. Then, cover and let stand 20 minutes. After this time, cut the curd again into smaller cubes. Let rest another 20 minutes.
  5. [b]“GIUNCATA” ITALIAN FRESH CHEESE
    Pour the curd into cheese molds. Fill the molds as much as possible, pressing the curd. When the molds are all full, put on a grid over a baking sheet to collect the licking serum. Cover the molds with plastic wrap, and transfer everything into the fridge. Let rest the cheese, until it will be reduced at least by half. It will take about eight hours. It is possible eat the cheese immediately, or store it for up to two days.
  6. ITALIAN CHICKEN STEW WITH BELL PEPPERS - pollo ai peperoni - philosokitchen.com
3.3.3077

 

Filed Under: Appetizers, Gluten Free, Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: appetizer, cheese, farmer, fresh, giuncata, homemade, italian, milk, recipe, summer, tomato, vegeratian

« HOMEMADE SUN-DRIED TOMATOES preserved in olive oil
ITALIAN CHICKEN STEW WITH BELL PEPPERS – pollo ai peperoni »

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