make your own soft Greek cheese
mizithra + anthotyros
Mizithra and anthotyros are soft Greek cheeses often associated with the island of Crete, similar to ricotta cheese. Not to sound cheesy, but these are my favorite of all the Greek cheeses, and they are also simple to make. You can enjoy anthotyros plain by the spoonful, stuffed in sfakianes pites (a cheese pie from Sfakia, a beautiful mountainous region of southwestern Crete), or topped on rusk bread along with tomatoes to make dakos.
Greeks have been making anthotyros for thousands of years with sheep’s or goat’s milk, but I use good old cow’s milk from the local grocery store. To turn the milk into cheese, you add lemon juice or vinegar to the milk at the boiling point—this separates the curds from the whey. Light and creamy, anthotyros and mizithra take only a few hours to make. The leftover whey from anthotyros is used to make mizithra, which comes out even softer and smoother than the first batch. You can enjoy mizithra by the spoonful or leave it out to dry for a couple of weeks to make the hard mizithra you may be familiar with sprinkling on pasta. Either way, making your own cheese at home is rewarding and delicious!
Watch my cheese making process in this video here!
now, let’s get cheeeeesy! here’s the recipe :)
Ingredients:
1 gallon whole milk (plus an additional gallon for making mizithra cheese)*
1 quart half & half
1 quart heavy whipping cream
¾ to 1 cup white vinegar
Salt, to taste
Directions:
1. In a large pot, add the whole milk, half and half and heavy whipping cream. and half & half, then heat over low/medium heat. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking. This should take about 45 minutes to one hour, allowing the milk to warm slowly.
2. Once the milk starts bubbling (temperature reaches about 180F), slowly pour in the white vinegar or lemon juice. The milk will form lumps (cheese curds), while the liquid is the whey.*
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the curds to a colander lined with cheesecloth. It's delicious when warm.
4. Let the curds drain until they reach your desired texture. The longer you strain, the firmer the cheese.
5. Season with salt (and pepper if desired), or enjoy it plain.
Note: Don’t discard the whey! To make mizithra cheese, thoroughly strain the whey until no curds remain, or use a cheesecloth or milk bag to remove all the curds. Bring the whey to a boil, reduce the heat, and add another gallon of whole milk. Curds will form again. If not, add a few tablespoons of vinegar. Stir them for 2-3 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a separate colander. This soft cheese can be eaten fresh like the first batch of anthotyros.
happy eating! xo-eleni
