Cypriot Halloumi Cheese

Ingredients

 * 8 pints fresh milk, either goats or ewe or cow
 * 1 teaspoon rennet or special cheese rennet
 * little salt if desired
 * pan
 * 2-3 muslin bags or similar

Directions

 * 1) To fresh milk add rennet and leave till set (about 30 minutes).
 * 2) Break up and place resulting mass into muslin in about two lots.
 * 3) Drain any whey from curds back into pan, leave to stand in muslin for about half an hour after which they will be firmer and in oval shape.
 * 4) Meanwhile bring whey to the boil (any curds which form on the top may be gathered and used fresh (add sugar and cinnamon or placed in muslin and hung to dry to form a hard cheese suitable for grating onto pasta etc.
 * 5) Once milk has come to the boil, remove soft curds from muslin and place into boiling pan.
 * 6) Simmer gently until the cheese floats to the top, but certainly for approximately 20 mins.
 * 7) Remove cheese, if liked, sprinkle with salt and fold in half and place a weight on top.
 * 8) Leave in fridge for at leave 2 hours before use.
 * 9) The remaining whey may be used to boil spaghetti in, when cooked, cooked chicken may be added to form a soup, serve with bread.