Homemade cottage cheese
12 servings
120 minutes
Homemade cottage cheese is a symbol of simplicity and naturalness in European cuisine. Its history goes back centuries when milk was a staple food and farmers knew how to turn it into nutritious and tasty products. This recipe allows you to obtain tender, soft cottage cheese, perfect for breakfast or adding to baked goods. The preparation process requires patience: the milk first sours, then is heated and strained through cheesecloth. The finished cottage cheese has a rich milky flavor with a slight tang and versatility—it can be eaten with honey or fruits or used in pies or syrniki. Additionally, the leftover whey is a beneficial product that can be used for dough or consumed chilled. This homemade treat conveys the coziness and warmth of traditional cuisine while preserving its benefits and naturalness.
1
Prepare the necessary ingredients. Farm milk is more suitable for making cottage cheese.
- Milk: 1500 ml
2
Place a 3-liter jar of milk in a cool place for about 3 hours to allow the cream to rise to the top.
- Milk: 1500 ml
3
A 1.5-liter jar should be well washed with soda.
4
Fill a 1.5-liter jar with milk. Use the remaining milk in the three-liter jar as you wish.
- Milk: 1500 ml
5
Leave the milk at room temperature for about 6-8 hours to sour.
- Milk: 1500 ml
6
The milk must sour well, otherwise the cottage cheese may not turn out.
- Milk: 1500 ml
7
Line the bottom of the pot with a kitchen towel. Place a jar of sour milk in the pot. Fill the pot with room temperature water so that the jar is almost completely covered. Leave about 1.5 cm from the top.
- Milk: 1500 ml
8
Place the pot on the fire, cover it, and let it heat on low for about 40 minutes. Once bubbles start to appear, let it heat for another 10 minutes, but do not let it boil, otherwise the curd may become hard.
- Milk: 1500 ml
9
Remove the pot with milk from the heat, cool it to room temperature, and take the jar out of the water.
- Milk: 1500 ml
10
Pour the milk into a cheesecloth-lined strainer to let the whey drain.
- Milk: 1500 ml
11
To make the cottage cheese denser, you can place a small weight on it and leave it in a cool place for about an hour.
12
Ready cottage cheese can be consumed as a standalone dish, as well as for preparing other dishes. Whey can be used for making dough-based dishes (pancakes, crepes, dumplings, etc.).