Homemade Halloumi Cheese/Fried Cheese
For the curious!!!
Halloumi is a traditional Cypriot cheese. The cheese has become one of the signature cheeses of the island of Cyprus. Halloumi is often sprinkled with dried mint, which adds a special freshness and zest to its flavor. Halloumi cheese is a product with a protected designation of origin and can only be produced on the island of Cyprus (this status was recently granted, in July 2015). Halloumi is made from a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk, sometimes with the addition of cow's milk. The addition of cow's milk significantly reduces the cost of the cheese.
A short recipe for halloumi cheese made from cow's milk.
Use fresh milk, without acidity. The video shows a volume of 20 liters, with milk 6 hours after milking. You can also use fresh milk.
Heat to 32 degrees. And add milk-clotting enzyme (dose according to enzyme instructions). See liquid rennet for the video.
Determine the flocculation point by the cap. The multiplier is 3. (See the video for more details.)
Cut the curd in 1.5 cm increments, vertically and horizontally, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, begin slowly stirring and heat the curd to 38 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit). This takes about 15 minutes.
Continue stirring for another 5-10 minutes, but without heating, at 38 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit).
Let the grain settle for 5 minutes.
Stir and let it sit for another 5 minutes.
Pour into molds with a diameter of 12-15 cm.
Let it settle under its own weight for 40-60 minutes. Turn it over in the mold every 10-15 minutes.
During this time, heat the whey to approximately 80-85 degrees Celsius (176-185 degrees Fahrenheit).
Cut the cheese into 2-5 cm thick slices and place them in the whey.
Heat over low heat, periodically lifting the cheese from the bottom with a slotted spoon (to prevent burning).
The cheese is ready when it floats to the surface.
Place in cold water, but do not let it cool completely. Remove from the water, salt both sides, and fold in half. At this point, you can add mint or other seasonings.
The cheese is ready to eat or fry.
Fry in a preheated frying pan using any oil (to taste). You can cut the cheese into whole pieces or chop it.
In the video, we used a 25-liter enamel saucepan with cow's milk and fried it in regular vegetable oil.