How to make Farm Cheese

This is an easy way to make cheese from locally sourced household items. Cheese is generally made with rennet, but this recipe uses plain vinegar. This recipe uses 1 gallon of milk. You can use whole, low-fat, or nonfat (dried reconstituted according to directions) milk. DO NOT use ultra-pasteurized milk.

Farm cheese (optional can be used as mozzarella cheese)

One gallon of milk

2 tablespoons of salt

½ cup of vinegar 

Boil milk, stirring constantly on low to medium heat. Use a thick pot like a Dutch oven to not scold or burn the milk. Stir until a light foam appears, and you can not stir the bubbles away. You do not want a full rolling boil. If you have a thermometer, it will be about 170 degrees. Turn off the heat. 

Stir in vinegar. Stir for about 10 minutes. You will see it separate and look like cottage cheese in greenish-blue water.  I have my colander with cheesecloth (which can be purchased locally or used cotton muslin) placed over it. I have it in another pot to catch the whey and make yogurt, but you can place it in the sink. Pour the curds and whey into the cheesecloth.

I use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom and help push the water out. Then, rinse with cold water. Pick up all sides of the cheesecloth and squeeze the water out. Rinse and repeat four times. 

Hang up and let drip for 15 minutes. You can add more salt to taste and massage. You can sprinkle the cheese on salads or use it in place of ricotta cheese in recipes. 

Optional: Place the cheesecloth ball in a bowl and microwave* for 15 minutes. Massage and repeat for one and a half minutes (be careful; the tail may be hot). Remove from cheesecloth. Massage the cheese until it's a plastic texture and stays together. 

It may now be placed in a Mason jar of salt water and canned or in a sealed plastic container. Cover in salt water in the refrigerator to keep it from drying out. The cheese is good in the refrigerator for up to one week.

*If you do not have a microwave, use a double boiler. Start when the water is boiling. 

 

How To Make Bread

 How To Make Bread

You can use a bread starter for a Sourdough flavor or make the bread directly.

Starter

Use a Bell-type Jar with a two-part lid. 

Add ½ cup of flour, 1 Tablespoon of sugar or honey, ¼ cup of hot tap water, and  1 tablespoon of dry yeast. 

Mix and put on the flat lid, then place the screw on the lid just enough to catch but not screw down. This will allow gas to leak out. Let sit for 24 hours. Then, feed each day with ¼ cup of flour. Two tablespoons of water and mix. Replace lid. On the third day, take half the contents to make bread or discard. Repeat feeding. The longer you do this process, the more sour the taste.

Bread

2 cups of water

2 Tablespoons or one package of dry yeast 

3 Tablespoons of sugar or honey 

2 Tablespoons of oil or melted butter

1 Tablespoon of salt

5 cups of flour

In a mixer with a bead hook (you can do this by hand, but it's a lot of work). Add 1 cup of hot tap water. Two tablespoons (one package) of yeast and 3 tablespoons of sugar or honey. Mix with a fork gently to break up the yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes. (Add half of the jar of starter optional) Add 2 tablespoons of oil or melted butter (any kind, but I use olive oil). Add 1 tablespoons of salt. Two cups of flour start mixing on low till creamy. Slowly add 1 cup of hot tap water and two cups of flour. When mixed in, let the mixture mix on the low for 10 minutes.  It will be mixed but sticky. Take the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and place a towel over it. I heat up the oven on low when I start and turn it off when I'm done mixing. Place in a warm place; I put mine on a warmed stove and let rise for 1 hour or more.

Turn out on a floured counter or cutting board. Sprinkle top and hands with flour. Fold in from edge to center and push down. When you have done all four sides, sprinkle with flour, flip over, sprinkle flour, and repeat for 10 minutes. Form into a ball. Wash the bowl or use another bowl and oil the entire sides. Put in a warm place for 1 hour or more.  Do the fold and flip for another 10 minutes. Make it into a ball. Please place it in an oiled Dutch oven covered or on an oiled cookie sheet. Place an oiled casserole dish over the top and place it on the stove while you let the oven preheat to 450F for about 20 minutes.*

Place in oven and cook for 20 minutes; cook uncovered for another 20 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

* If you want a shiny crust, brush it with egg yoke before baking.