Don't let the title scare you, it is easy to make mozzarella! You can do it at home with a few easy ingredients and equipment you likely already have in your kitchen.
The Basics
You can make mozzarella with a non-reactive skillet, long thin knife, strainer, bowl, thermometer, and gloves. The ingredients are likewise easy being milk, citric acid, rennet, and salt.
There are many recipes available online but we really like this one. We find that thekitchen.com often has very informative recipes for learning to cook and learn simple techniques.
What to Use
While almost any milk will work, so long as it is not UHT (ultra high temperature pasteurized) we suggest whole milk. While it may give it more fat than you like it will give it a better texture . Also, it makes the mozzarella melt better too.
How to Store
When you make mozzarella it should be stored in some of the cooled whey, in a tightly sealed container. It should keep stored this way for as long as a week. It is fantastic knowing how to make fresh mozzarella. You can use it for pizzas, pasta, salads, anything you would use store bought for. It is also sure to impress your family and friends.
How to Melt
Fresh mozzarella is not quite as easy to melt as store bought. A few things I have found that help it along is to make sure it is dried before using it. Shred it instead of leaving it in chunks or slices. I also like to make sure to not overwork the cheese which seems to make it more rubbery.
