How to Make Cheese

2 quarts (liters) of 2% or 3.25% milk (the latter may produce a bit more cheese)
1/4 tsp liquid rennet*
non - iodized salt, such as pickling or kosher salt (optional at this point)

*Liquid rennet is the indispensable ingredient needed to make this type of cheese recipe. I will talk more about it following the recipe instructions.

Pour milk into an aluminum or stainless steel pot. Add 1/4 teaspoon liquid rennet and 2 tablespoons non iodized (pickling or kosher) salt. The amount of salt can vary according to your taste. You also have the option of adding salt at a later point instead which is explained below.

On medium heat, stir milk constantly for approximately 10 minutes. At that time, you will begin to see the milk solids separate from the whey and start to clump together. Remove from heat.

You will now need to scoop about 1 cup of the cheese into your hand and squeeze out as much water as you can forming patties about the size of a small hamburger. Transfer cheese to a container and pour a small amount of the liquid whey into the bottom. This will help preserve the cheese for a few days since most of the salt will have remained in the liquid. Or, if you didn't add salt to the milk at the start, you can add the salt to both sides of the patties now.

Cut into small pieces and serve on your favorite bread or mix it in a salad.

Yes, the leftover liquid whey can be kept and you can make another type of cheese. If you don't really want to though, then just discard it. If you are feeling adventurous, then here are the instructions for lebanese ricotta cheese. (This is not the commercial ricotta we see in grocery stores, but somewhat similar). It is called Arisheh (pronounced a-ree-sheh, emphasis on the second syllable).

Ingredients:
4 cups liquid whey
4 cups 2% milk
2 cups cold water
juice of one lemon
salt (optional)

Pour all ingredients except the lemon juice in the same pot that you used earlier. On medium heat bring milk mixture to a boil. You will notice that the milk will begin to rise. Add the lemon juice. The cheese will then start to curdle. Remove from heat. Pass cheese through a sieve. That's it! Makes about 1 1/2cups

Rennet is an enzyme derived from the stomach of cows, goats or sheep or other ruminant animals. It is believed that this enzyme was discovered by accident when milk was stored in a cows stomach which, after a while began to curdle in the bag (stomach) yielding clumps of cheese and liquid (whey). Adding salt to the cheese helped preserve it for a long time.

Rennet is available in different forms. There is the liquid form derived from animals. There is also another form of liquid rennet which comes from vegetable plants. It is also available in powder form under the name Junket Tablets and can be found in the pudding section of most grocery stores.

Note that this recipe requires rennet in liquid form. The process of making this cheese using Junket tablets is much longer.

Liquid rennet can be purchased at cheese making supply companies. There are two that I know of. If you are in the U.S, I recommend the New England Cheese Making Supply company. For Canadians the one I buy from is called Glengarry cheese making supply located in Lancaster Ontario. They ship anywhere in Canada and also have a U.S. office so that if you are in the states you don't have to worry about customs.