String cheese
A spiced cheese snack from the Middle East
Instructions
- Place cheese in a Teflon saucepan and add a dash of mahleb and salt and a sprinkling of black seeds. Heat on low until cheese is melted thoroughly. Remove from heat and drain excess water.
- Pick up hot cheese in a lump, and make a hole in the center to resemble a doughnut.
- With both hands, stretch and turn the cheese to form a large loop. Double the strand of cheese, making two strands of cheese of even length.
- Repeat, stretching and looping; the more you stretch the stringier the cheese becomes.
- Twist ends in opposite directions and intertwine rope into a braid. Place one end through the loop of the other to lock it.
- Set cheese aside to dry thoroughly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze.
- To serve, open braid, cut one loop and pull cheese apart into thin strands. Serve with pita bread.
Yield
6 servings
Preparation time
25 minutes
Cooking time
10 minutes
Total time
35 minutes
Notes
This recipe mahleb uses a Middle East spice. Mahleb can be found at specialty food shops that sell Middle Eastern ingredients.
If you don't have it, you can substitute mahleb with other of your favorite spices.