Natural pasta-filata style cheese with improved texture

A method for making pasta-filata style cheese comprising the steps:

• ultra-filtrating milk to at least 4% by weight milk protein;
• adding a starter culture to the milk;
• adding calcium to the milk before ripening;
• ripening the milk at a ripening temperature of at least 95° F.;
• adding a low proteolytic rennet enzyme to the milk;
• coagulating the milk at a temperature of at least 95° F. to produce whey and curd;
• separating the whey from the curd;
• and
• stretching the curd at a pH of at least 5.25 and at a stretching temperature of at least 130° F.