This is how I made mozzarella yesterday - I think this is the easiest cheese I've ever made. I did not even stretch it - a friend says she just presses her mozz and it melts nicely anyway. I didn't even press mine. When I grated some and melted it under the broiler, it turned out gooey and tasty, just how I like mozzarella.
Note: I made this using whole raw milk. If you have a pasturized milk that will form a decent curd when CaCl is added, you'll probably be able to replicate this recipe.
Easy Peasy Pizza Cheese
4 gallons milk (I used raw cow's milk - not sure how or if this would work with p/h milk)
1 1/2 cups yogurt
3/4 cup store bought buttermilk
1/8 tsp powdered calf rennet (or whatever your brand of rennet recommends for this amount of milk)
3/8 cup kosher salt
In a double boiler, warm milk to 90* F. Whisk yogurt with buttermilk and enough warmed milk to make it pourable, then whisk into kettle of milk.
Turn off heat and cover. Maintain temp while acidifying milk for 1 hour. Dissolve rennet in 1/4 cup cool water. Gently but thoroughly stir rennet into milk for about 20-30 seconds. Use skimmer to stop the motion of the milk. Check in about 45 minutes for clean break and, if achieved, cut curd into 3/4 inch cubes.
Let curds heal for ten minutes - allow to rest without stirring. Use a skimmer to gently lift curds and cut any that are large into smaller pieces. Turn heat to medium-low and allow to come to 105* F, about one hour. Occasionally stir gently if you wish, but I did not, as I did chores during this time.
Ladle curds into a cloth-lined colander. After draining for an hour or so, toss with salt and continue to drain overnight or 6-8 hours.
This made 5 lbs of mozzarella, so any that won't be used within a week will be frozen - I don't grate before freezing because I've found that it all lumps back together again anyway.
I will still stretch this curd if I want it for gift giving or for eating fresh, but for cooking purposes, I don't see the need.