Kashkaval is a yellow cheese made from cow’s or sheep’s milk, popular in Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, and Croatia. It has a nutty flavor, is a good source of calcium, and is often used in salads, antipasti, pizzas, and lasagna. It can also be fried or grilled.
Kashkaval is a type of pale yellow cheese made from cow’s or sheep’s milk. The word has its roots in the Italian caciocavallo and is used as a generic term in Romania, Bulgaria and Macedonia for yellow cheeses. This semi-hard cheese is also found in Hungary, Croatia and Türkiye. Also known as the “Balkan cheddar” due to its similarity in taste, it is typically dark yellow and has a smooth surface. It is known as cascaval in Romania, kasseri in Greece and ksara in Turkey.
The cheese has a nutty flavor, is slightly salty, and is a good source of calcium. About 10 kg of milk is needed to produce about one kilogram (two pounds) of cheese. It is poured into cylindrical molds and left to age for about six months – it becomes firmer as it ages, turning into an excellent grated cheese. Considered a staple in the Balkan diet, it is usually served with olives or used to complement pasta in a grated form. Also used in salads, antipasti, pizzas and lasagna, it makes a great addition to any cheese plate.
A mild and creamy cheese, kashkaval has a fine texture and is not tainted. Kashkaval vitosha refers to cheese made from cow’s milk. Kashkaval Balkan is a cheese made from sheep’s milk, while Kashkaval Preslav is the name given to cheese made from a blend of both types of milk. Its semi-firm and slightly hard texture makes it an excellent cheese for grilling because it doesn’t melt. It can also be served fried; Thick slices of cheese can easily be sauteed in some crushed garlic and olive oil until brown on both sides.
Fried kashkaval is known as penne kashkaval and is quite popular. The main ingredients are cheese, flour, eggs and breadcrumbs. It is easily made by cutting the cheese into slices about one centimeter thick (about a centimeter). Cheese makers remove excess moisture by patting the cheese with paper towels. They season the flour with a little salt and pepper and spread it out on a plate.
The cooks beat the eggs and set them aside in a small bowl. They spread the bread crumbs on a separate plate. The breading process involves pressing the cheese into the flour until it is coated in a thin layer. Then, the cooks shake off the excess flour and dip the cheese into the egg and breadcrumbs afterwards. To get a thicker layer of bread crumbs, they can dip it again.
Cheese makers immediately fry the slice in hot oil until the crumbs are a nice golden brown color. They then placed it on a paper towel to let the excess oil drain. Delicious when hot, servers can garnish the dish with parsley or other greens. The cheese does not get sticky when frying.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
