It’s easy to find fresh mozzarella, but there are few things more impressive than being able to point to a white globe and say, “Yeah, I made that.”
This recipe, from chef Heather Terhune of Tre Rivali in Milwaukee, starts like every other cheese recipe: a pot of warm milk that you acidulate to help separate the curds (what becomes cheese) from the whey (the liquid by-product).
When that happens, you basically have ricotta; the warming and gentle stretching is what creates mozzarella. Serve warm from the pot, covered in extra-virgin olive oil and flaky salt.
Degree of difficulty: Difficult
Total time: 1 hour
Is it Cheese Yet? The 4 Stages of Mozzarella

1. Combine milk and citric acid in a cast-iron pot.

2. Gently stir the curds; you do not want them to break up too much.

3. Carefully separate the curds from the whey.

4. Fold and stretch the curds until you reach desired consistency.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
Ingredients
- 1 gallon organic whole milk
- 1¼ cup water
- 1½ tsp citric acid
- ¼ tsp liquid rennet
- 1 tsp kosher salt
How to make it