AMISH FARMERS CHEESE

Amish Farmers Cheese image

Farmer's cheese is a simple, very mild cheese with a crumbly texture. It is really easy to make at home with this simple farmer's cheese recipe. To add more flavor, mix fresh herbs in with the curds or sprinkle herbs on top of the farmer's cheese with olive oil and red pepper flakes. Farmer's cheese can be eaten with bread or...

Provided by Linda Kauppinen

Number Of Ingredients 3

Ingredients

1/2 gal fresh whole milk, raw
1/4 c white vinegar
1 tsp salt

Steps:

1. Bring milk to a slow boil. Keep the heat at medium or medium low, otherwise you risk burning the milk to the bottom of the pot.
2. When small, foamy bubbles begin to form on the surface of the milk, but it is not yet at a rolling boil, turn off the heat. If you have a thermometer, which is helpful, the temperature will read about 190 degrees.
3. Add the vinegar and stir the milk. You will notice curds immediately beginning to form. Let the milk sit for 15 minutes. After this time, add any additional flavors (like fresh herbs).
4. Place a colander over a large bowl or pot. Drape either cheesecloth or a thin dish towel over the colander. Pour the curds into the cheese cloth. The whey (liquid) will drain and be collected in the bowl below and the solids curds will be caught in the cheese cloth.
5. Lift the cheese cloth up and wrap it around the curds, twisting and squeezing to expel moisture. After squeezing out the moisture, the curds for farmer's cheese will be dry and crumbly. If you want a creamier texture, mix a little of the reserved whey back in with the curds.
6. To shape the cheese, keep it wrapped in cheese cloth and form it into a mound on a plate. Set another plate on top and press the curds into a flat disc that is 1-2 inches tall. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or so before removing cheese cloth.
7. NOTE: suggest you go easy on the salt and use a fine granualted salt, not kosher salt--the salt tends to stick to the outside. You can always adjust salt in any recipe you use this in. This makes a very great and tasty fresh cheese. It's quite delicate in flavor and not very strong,