Clay-Pot Cheese | Kirklareli-Style Aged Cheese

Warm the milk to 32°C / 90°F; when you dip a finger into it, it should feel neither hot nor cold. Dissolve the rennet in half of a 200 ml measure of lukewarm water and pour it over the milk. Stir a few times, cover the pot, and leave it undisturbed.

The curd is ready to cut when a knife inserted into it leaves a clean split that fills with clear yellow whey. Cut it into 2 cm squares and let it rest for 15 minutes. Transfer it to a cheesecloth-lined strainer and let the whey drain away.

Crumble the drained curds by hand into hazelnut-size pieces and mix them with the rock salt, rubbing it in. Do not reduce the salt; it is the only thing protecting the cheese during aging.