Homemade Feta Cheese - made with Goats Milk

Today I am making feta cheese with my goat’s milk – this is an easy cheese to make but can also be kept for awhile once it’s ready. Because I am still fasting, I thought this one would be the best to make right now.

To make feta cheese I started with 2 liters of fresh goats milk from our goats and rummaged around the kitchen until I found 2 pots that would work well as a double boiler. It is important to heat the milk but I didn’t want to heat it directly over a burner.

Instead, I heated water to boiling in the kettle, while the milk was brought up to room temperature. Next I set up my double boiler – placing something (a pot lid) on the bottom to steady the smaller pan holding the milk.

Then after pouring hot water into the bigger pot, I set the smaller pot (with the milk in it) onto the pot lid so it could rest in the hot water and begin to heat up. It doesn’t take long and I had to watch it carefully to make sure it would not overheat.

The temperature you are aiming for is about 30C – but this needs to be maintained for about an hour or so. Once I was at or near that temperature I added in some of my homemade vegetarian rennet (made from nettles) and I guessed at how much starter culture to add (I have a packet that says add to 150L!).

Then I stirred (very gently) while holding the candy thermometer to the one side (I do need a more accurate one for cheese making) and checking the temperature making sure I was keeping it in the right range.

After 20 minutes or so, I removed the smaller pan and replaced some hot water to keep the temperature up. Then I stopped stirring and let it all settle for about another hour or so.

I had to stop watching it (LOL) so I went to do something else – then when I came back it had started to turn into the familiar curds and whey. But was not quite ready yet because it was not giving a clean break.

What I was looking for was for the curd to become a little solid and break apart when gently cut with a knife. Or even to not stick to my finger when gently pushed down.

Within another 15 minutes this clean break started to happened and I was able to cut the curds with my knife in a crisscross pattern and then at a 45 degree angle to break up the curds underneath. Once I had done this I just let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes at a time between gentle stirs of the curd to encourage the whey to separate.

Once I was satisfied it was ready, I placed the curds and whey into a strainer covered in 5 layers of muslin cloth and allowed it to drain out into a pan for an hour or so. Then I tied up the cloth ends and the cheese is now draining/dripping into the pan while hanging from a hook.

I plan to brine this cheese – for a day or two and then to let it sit until I am finished this fast. Then I want to marinate it in olive oil and oregano and have a taste testing – can’t wait for that.

April

Feta Cheese in process...curds and whey