Probably, all types of cheeses are the hallmark of the country that became their homeland. Also, Imeretian cheese is a visiting card of Georgia. The process of its preparation is quite simple and does not require much effort. But it requires a long time for molding (cooking time is indicated without taking this into account).
Difficulties can arise due to the lack of a special thermometer to control heating, rennet for fermenting milk and, in fact, the quality of the milk itself. But all these questions are solvable.
If online stores are the main source of purchase of the enzyme, and for certain reasons, like me, there is no trust in them, then you can safely use the pharmacy drug "Acidin-Pepsin".
Cooking without a thermometer "by eye" is very risky, you can make a mistake. But this issue will help to solve the multicooker with the “Multipovar” mode or any other mode that allows you to manually adjust the required temperature.
Milk must be whole, with a fat percentage of at least 3.2 and fresh. Pasteurized milk, in contrast to farm (village) milk, requires additional introduction of calcium chloride and bacterial cultures in the form of sourdough. Of course, this is not difficult and affordable, but the proven whole village milk greatly simplifies and shortens the entire cooking process. However, when buying it, even from a "proven" cow, it is very important to pay attention to the smell and taste, since the aroma and taste of the finished cheese will directly depend on this.
The whole process is described in simple everyday language without difficult to understand words. But, if you have any questions, be sure to ask them in the comments, I will try very hard to help you quickly. Cook more boldly! And may you succeed!
Ingredients:
Milk - 3000 ml
Rennet - 0.75 g
For brine:
Water - 1000 ml
Salt - 4 tbsp l.
Preparation:
Step 1: Prepare the required ingredients. The recipe uses fresh milk, but has already stood in the refrigerator - this point is very important when cooking in a multicooker.
Step 2: Dilute the rennet according to the instructions on the package. When using Acidin-pepsin, boil water (60 ml), cool to 34 degrees. In the absence of a thermometer, it should feel warm to the sensation of a finger. Acidin-pepsin (10 tablets) grind into powder with a knife and dissolve in this water. It is necessary to avoid contact with the fingers with the drug, because it seems to begin to melt, which prevents its crushing.
Step 3: If there is a special thermometer for measuring the degree of heating, pour the whole milk into a saucepan and bring it, stirring for uniform heating, to a temperature of 35 degrees. Turn off heating. Without stopping stirring, pour in the diluted rennet (Acidin-pepsin) and stir for another 1 minute, so that it is dispersed throughout the milk. Close the pan with a lid, wrap and leave for 60 minutes.
Step 4: In the absence of a thermometer, a multicooker with the “Multipovar” option or another program that allows you to set the temperature mode manually will help. Pour milk into a bowl. Set the “Multipovar” program to 35 degrees and, stirring for even heating, heat for 15 minutes. Control the time on the multicooker display. Add rennet solution (Acidin-pepsin) and continue heating, stirring in the same way, for another 1 minute. Turn off the technique, close the lid and leave to ferment for 60 minutes. During this time, a large amount of condensation can form on the lid, just in case, it is worth preparing a napkin or towel so as not to splash when you open it. The milk becomes a single clot, similar to a soufflé.
Step 5: Now this clot must be broken with a spatula, slotted spoon or open palm with fingers allotted. For a pan with a thermometer, immediately turn on the heating, gently stirring the curd, bring to a temperature of 40 degrees. But heating should be done slowly: in 5 minutes by about 1 degree.
Step 6: For a multicooker, set the temperature mode to 40 degrees and, gently stirring the curd, warm it up for 5 minutes (control by the display of equipment). In both cases, turn off the heating and leave for 5-10 minutes for the grain to settle to the bottom. Drain the whey into a separate container, it can be used in the preparation of other dishes or drinks. And put the grain in a special form for making cheese. Place it on the wire rack, placing a container under which to collect the separated whey.
Step 7: Due to its absence, you can easily get by with improvised means, for example, use a small colander. It is very convenient, as in my case, to make a serving ring from a plastic bottle (1.5–2 l volume) from the smooth, its highest area. Place it in a colander, cover with gauze and lay out the curd. No need to tamp, just distribute evenly over the shape, avoiding large voids. The cheese head must mold itself.
Step 8: If you need a flat top of the head, place it in a flat-bottomed bowl and periodically drain the separated whey. After 15 minutes, the head must be turned over. Close the end of the bottle ring with exactly the free part of the gauze so that there are no rough folds, and completely turn the shape over like an hourglass without removing the head.
Step 9: Turn again after 15 minutes, then after 1 hour, turn again for 2 hours. After the allotted time, turn it over again and send it to the refrigerator, without removing it from the mold, for the final self-pressing for at least 12 hours.
Step 10: If cheese is prepared for eating, then it must be salted in brine. If for cooking suluguni, then this is an extra step. For brine, make boiling water, dissolve salt in it and cool.
Step 11: Release the sealed cheese head from the mold and lower it into the prepared brine for 1 hour, turn over and stand for another 1 hour. You can eat cheese immediately after salting. Such a product is stored in brine (water - 1000 ml, salt and sugar for 1 tsp. l.), but this will make it saltier. If you don't need salted cheese, you can simply wrap it in dry cheesecloth.
Step 12: Ready-made Imeretian cheese can be served with watermelon, fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, juicy herbs. It is involved in the preparation of many dishes and is the main ingredient in suluguni and khachapuri.
Cook with ease! Bon Appetit!
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