Urda

Ingredients

Cheese

• 5 litresfresh whey, saved from making white cheese
• 500 mlwhole milk
• 1 tspsalt, optional

To serve

• bread and honey
• or baked into a pie with eggs and dill

Directions

1. Use the whey the same day it comes off the cheese. Whey that has stood overnight has soured too far and gives hard grains instead of soft flakes.
2. Pour it into a wide pan and heat slowly to 88°C (190°F), stirring occasionally so it does not catch. Do not let it boil.
3. Stir in the milk. Whey alone gives very little; the added milk brings fresh protein that lifts with it and makes the pan worth the trouble.
4. Hold at 88°C (190°F) without stirring for 10 to 15 minutes. Soft white flakes will rise and gather at the surface — stirring now breaks them up and they will not re-form.
5. Lift the curds off gently with a slotted spoon into a muslin-lined sieve and drain for 20 to 30 minutes. Do not press.
6. Salt lightly if you want it savoury, or leave it plain for honey.
7. Eat within two days. Serve fresh on bread with honey, or fold into a pie with eggs and dill.
8. To keep it longer, salt it heavily, press it and dry it — that is the harder grating urda of the mountains.

Technique

• Same-day whey. This is the one thing that decides whether it works.
• Do not stir once the flakes form, and never let it boil. Both give rubbery grains instead of soft curd.
• It keeps two days fresh. This is not a cheese to hold on to.

Substitutions

• Whey from any rennet-set cheese; the method is the same as ricotta.
• A tablespoon of lemon juice if the whey is very fresh and slow to gather.

Variations

• Salted, pressed and dried into a hard grating cheese.
• The Romanian urdă, Italian ricotta and Cypriot anari are the same idea.

History

Made by reheating the whey left from white cheese in Macedonian mountain dairies.

Frequently asked questions

What is Urda?

Urda is a cheese & dairy from North Macedonia: soft whey cheese, mild and fresh, spread on bread or baked in pies. Made by reheating the whey left from white cheese in Macedonian mountain dairies.

How long does Urda take to make?

Urda takes 15 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking. The recipe makes makes about 400 g. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Urda?

Yes, within limits. Whey from any rennet-set cheese; the method is the same as ricotta. A tablespoon of lemon juice if the whey is very fresh and slow to gather.

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

Use the whey the same day it comes off the cheese. Whey that has stood overnight has soured too far and gives hard grains instead of soft flakes.