🇲🇹 Maltese Cuisine

Gbejniet

Maltese Sheep Cheese

Prep Time 30 min + aging
Servings 6
Difficulty Hard
Calories 178 kcal

Small rounds of traditional Maltese sheep's milk cheese, available fresh and creamy or dried and peppery, a cornerstone of Maltese cuisine.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1 Heat sheep milk to 32°C (90°F). Add rennet and stir gently.
  2. 2 Let sit undisturbed for 45 min until a firm curd forms.
  3. 3 Cut curd into small cubes. Let rest 10 min for whey to separate.
  4. 4 Ladle curds into small perforated molds lined with cheesecloth. Press gently.
  5. 5 For fresh gbejniet: salt lightly and eat within 2 days.
  6. 6 For dried gbejniet: salt, roll in cracked pepper, and air-dry for 2-3 weeks in a cool airy spot.

Did You Know?

Gozitan gbejniet are considered the finest, made from the milk of sheep that graze on the island's wild herbs, giving the cheese a unique flavor.