I've tried out the following recipe, and the vinegar seems to overpower the rennet, and turns turns the nice curds into shattered ricotta glue... Considering some of the citric acid mozz recipies out there, and the fact that this fellow is from Italy, anyone want to hazard a guess as to whether this guy is talking about a pasta filata or a pressed cheese? The mess I got held onto it's whey like mad and just couldn't be pressed... I want to have another go at it, but I'm trying to decide if I should try pressing again, or perhaps spinning? Mind you, this recipe is the invention of a "surgeon" and not a cheesemaker, and it was published in 1581, but I was wanting other people's thoughts on what kind of cheese this might make?
The following translated recipe comes from: Compendio de i secreti rationali di M. Leonardo Fiorvanti Bolognese, Medico & Cirugico. (The Compendium of rational secrets of M. Leonardo Fiorvanti of Bologna, Medic and Surgeon). Translated by Mistress Helewyse de Birkestad.
The way of making cheese or real cheese (it may be the difference between formaggio being a molded cheese and Cascio a pressed cheese). Chapter 51.
The cheese that one makes, one makes in this way, that is: when the milk is coagulated one breaks it and puts it over a fire and it is heated until it makes a mass at the bottom of the pot. Then one takes it out and shapes the cheese, dependent on ones wishes, and then salt it and put it to dry. But many times made this way it will spoil. If one would wish to make a high quality one that never spoils make it in this way. That is: take the strongest vinegar and common honey, more of the one than the other, and put them to boil together. When one breaks the milk for each 30 "libre" of milk put in one "scudella" of this mix and don't heat it too much. Then make the pieces of cheese in whichever shape you like and immediately a it is done salt it thus warm. This is truly the great secret to make the very best cheese that never spoils because vinegar and honey are incorruptible materials and their virtues preserve the cheese.
Libra – about 12 oz, libre - plural of libra
Scudella – small bowl between 430 -600ml