Ġbejniet

Ingredients

Cheese

• 4 litressheep’s or goat’s milk
• ¼ tspcalcium chloride in 2 tbsp water, if using shop milk
• ½ tspliquid rennet in 50 ml cool water
• 1 tspsalt

For the peppered version

• coarse sea salt
• coarsely cracked black pepper
• white wine vinegar

Equipment

• small perforated cheese moulds (qwieleb), or small ramekins pierced with holes

Directions

1. Warm the milk to 32°C (90°F) and stir in the calcium chloride if using pasteurised shop milk.
2. Stir in the diluted rennet with a few slow strokes, stop the milk moving, and leave undisturbed for 45 minutes until it gives a clean break.
3. Do not cut the curd. Ladle it whole and undisturbed into the small moulds — ġbejniet are ladled, not cut, and that is what gives them their delicate texture.
4. Let them drain at room temperature for two hours, turning each one in its mould once, then refrigerate and drain four hours more.
5. For the fresh version — ġbejniet friski — turn them out, salt lightly and eat within two days. They should be soft, white and mild.
6. For the dried version, salt the drained cheeselets on both sides and lay them on a rack in a cool airy place for a week, turning daily, until firm and pale gold.
7. For ġbejniet tal-bżar, dip the dried cheeselets briefly in vinegar and roll them thickly in cracked black pepper, then return them to the rack for a few days more.
8. The peppered ones keep for months. Serve with ftira, tomatoes, capers and olive oil.

Technique

• Ladle the curd whole. Cutting it gives an ordinary small cheese rather than a ġbejna.
• Turn them daily while drying. Left on one side they dry unevenly and the underside stays damp.
• Sheep’s milk is what Gozo uses and it makes a noticeably better cheese than cow’s.

Substitutions

• Cow’s milk, which works though the result is milder and softer.
• Vegetarian microbial rennet.
• Small yoghurt pots pierced with a skewer in place of proper moulds.

Variations

• Ġbejniet fil-kunserva are packed in oil with sun-dried tomato and herbs.
• Grated over ravjul or baked into a Maltese pie.

History

Made largely on Gozo; the peppered dried version, ġbejna tal-bżar, keeps for months and is eaten with ftira and tomatoes.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ġbejniet?

Ġbejniet is a cheese & dairy from Malta: small sheep or goat cheeselets eaten fresh, dried or peppered. Made largely on Gozo; the peppered dried version, ġbejna tal-bżar, keeps for months and is eaten with ftira and tomatoes.

How long does Ġbejniet take to make?

Ġbejniet takes 40 min plus 6 hours draining of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes makes 12 small cheeselets. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Ġbejniet?

Yes, within limits. Cow’s milk, which works though the result is milder and softer. Vegetarian microbial rennet. Small yoghurt pots pierced with a skewer in place of proper moulds.

What is the most important thing to get right in Ġbejniet?

Do not cut the curd. Ladle it whole and undisturbed into the small moulds — ġbejniet are ladled, not cut, and that is what gives them their delicate texture.