Goat milk is not only a real storehouse of useful vitamins and minerals, but also an excellent basis for making cheese.
Despite the presence of a characteristic smell and a very specific taste, there are more and more fans of goat's milk cheese every year. And this is understandable. The low calorie content of the product and the high protein content, with a negligible percentage of carbohydrates, makes goat cheese a favorite among food products for people who are looking for weight and who prefer healthy food. In addition, the value of this product lies in the fact that the consumption of cheese is able to provide the body with vitamins A, D, E, K, B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B4, B6, B9, B12). For people with lactose allergies, this product is a real godsend. After all, the simplicity with which its addition can give a zest to the simplest dish adds points to cheese and among those who like to cook.
To get a really tasty product, you need to choose a quality base - goat milk. It must be fresh. Sour milk can spoil the taste of the resulting cheese. And you can diversify the taste of goat cheese using a variety of additives: herbs, herb seeds and even finely chopped vegetables. The main thing is not to be afraid to experiment and use imagination.
It is necessary to store ready-made cheese in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container for no more than 3-5 days. A longer period will adversely affect the taste of the product and lead to the development of microorganisms and the appearance of mold. However, the content of goat cheese in salt water can significantly increase the shelf life and preserve its consumer properties.
There are many ways to make cheese from goat milk. However, there are popular recipes that housewives like for their simplicity and good end product.
The classic goat cheese requires the use of rennet. It is a natural organic substance that is produced by the stomach of newborn calves. You can buy it at farmers' markets.
In addition, we need the following ingredients:
- Goat milk - 10 l;
- Rennet enzyme - 0.3 ml;
- Water - 0.5 l;
- A pinch of salt.
Into the milk warmed up to 37 ° C we introduce rennet, previously diluted in water. Gently stirring both components, leave the resulting liquid for half an hour for fermentation. The completion of this stage will be indicated by the formation of a white clot in the pan. Directly in the pan, the curd sediment must be chopped into strips with a knife. Then we put the pan on the fire again, heat it slightly, not forgetting to stir the mass.
Next, we separate the curd mass from the liquid. To do this, in a prepared sieve, covered with several layers of gauze, use a slotted spoon to spread the grains formed during the fermentation process. After all the liquid has drained, the cheese must be salted and transferred to a plate.
An elementary recipe for making this cheese, which will require a minimum of additional components and very little time, includes:
- 2 liters of goat milk;
- One medium lemon;
- Salt - a pinch;
- Spices to your taste - a pinch.
Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a prepared container and leave it for a while. Now let's get to the milk. Add salt, spices to the goat's milk and, stirring constantly, bring it to a temperature of 87-90 ° C. If your kitchen does not have a special thermometer that would help determine the heating temperature, then we simply bring the milk until the first bubbles appear, but not to a boil. Then remove the pan from the stove.
Without letting the milk cool down, pour in the lemon juice and mix gently. After a couple of minutes, the formation of a curd sediment will begin, and after 15 minutes, the process of decomposition of milk into curd mass and whey should be completed.
We get rid of the liquid with the help of a colander and gauze folded in several layers. When all the whey is drained, it may take 30-60 minutes, you can start shaping the cheese. Here you can use any suitable container, or simply set the desired shape with your hands. At the end, remove the cheesecloth, put the finished product on a plate and taste our own cheese!
To make goat cheese with milk, you need the following ingredients:
- Goat milk cottage cheese - 400 gr.;
- Goat milk - 1 l;
- Egg - 1 pc.;
- Soda - 1/3 tsp;
- Salt to taste.
Goat milk cottage cheese must be kneaded with a fork, or rubbed through a sieve. Heat the goat milk to the boiling point and add the chopped cottage cheese, stirring constantly. When the milk has turned into clear whey, the pan can be removed from the heat.
We pour the resulting mass into a colander to get rid of the whey. And add salt to the resulting curd mass, drive in eggs, soda and mix thoroughly. We shape the almost finished cheese, put it under pressure for the final drainage of the liquid and leave it for a day.
The cheese prepared according to this recipe turns out to be tender and porous.
To prepare tender and high-calorie cheese from goat milk, you must take the following ingredients in the following proportions:
- Sour cream - 500 gr;
- Goat milk - 2.5 l;
- Salt - 1 tbsp;
- Eggs - 5-6 pcs.
Beat eggs and sour cream until a homogeneous fluffy mass is obtained. In this case, it is necessary to take thick sour cream of high fat content. Heat the milk in a saucepan to 60 degrees, add salt and stir until it is completely dissolved. When this stage is completed, add sour cream and egg mass to hot milk. In this case, the whole trick of cooking lies in the need to mix both components very quickly in order to exclude premature coagulation of the protein. Next, bring the mass to a boil, stirring constantly, but do not let it boil. When a cheese curd has formed, the pan can be removed from the heat.
The cheese mass must be transferred to cheesecloth, folded in several layers, and left until the whey is completely drained. Then we put the cheese under oppression for 6-8 hours. For the final hardening of goat cheese, it can be placed in the refrigerator for a day.
One of the most interesting cheese recipes is processed cheese. The preparation of this type of cheese is time consuming. But at the same time, the shelf life of processed cheese is longer than that of regular cheese. In addition, you can make the cooking process much easier by using ready-made goat cheese. So, for cooking you need to take:
- Butter - 15 gr.;
- Goat curd - 600 gr.;
- Eggs - 1 pc.;
- Soda - 10g.
Stir the pre-mashed cottage cheese into a saucepan. Then salt the curd mass, add the egg, finely chopped butter, soda and mix everything thoroughly until a homogeneous consistency is formed.
Place the saucepan on the stove and, stirring constantly, cook until the consistency of melted cheese is formed. To obtain processed cheese, it is important to choose the optimal cooking temperature. The fire should not be too strong, as the mixture will simply curdle. But even a weak fire will not allow the cottage cheese to be brought to the desired state. When the mass is almost ready, you can add herbs or other seasonings to taste.
Put the processed cheese into prepared molds and enjoy the taste!
