How Is Feta Made?

Feta cheese was originally made with sheep's or goat's milk.

Feta is a salty, crumbly curd cheese that is generally used on salads, pastas, and Greek dishes. Feta has been popular among Greeks and Romans for several centuries. Does this Spark an idea?

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History
- Feta could have been originated as early as 8,000 years ago. It is even mentioned in Homer's The Odyssey. While feta is traditionally thought of as a Greek cheese, it may have actually originated in Italy. "Feta" means "to slice" in Italian.
Features
- Feta cheese is crumbly, white and has a tangy, salty flavor. It can be produced in both hard and semi-hard textures. The harder cheese has a sharper taste and odor, while the softer cheese is less salty.
Production
- Feta is made by combining milk with rennet -- an enzyme which causes milk protein to form curds -- and yogurt or buttermilk. The milk is warmed to 86 degrees, the buttermilk or yogurt is added and mixed thoroughly, and the pot sits for an hour. The rennet is added and mixed in after the initial resting, and then the pot rests for another hour while the cheese forms curds. The curds are salted, cut with a knife into cubes, poured into a cheese cloth and hung for six to eight hours. It is then sliced, left at room temperature for 24 hours, and refrigerated for five to seven days before eating.

Everything Goat Milk: Feta Cheese Recipe

Photo Credit Feta cut in dices image by Chef from Fotolia.com

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