What Is Kashkaval Cheese?

Kashkaval is an aged cheese typically associated with southeastern Europe. It has a firm yet pliable texture and a piquant flavor. Similar cheeses made with the same pulled curd method are produced in other regions of Europe and western Asia under names like caşcaval (Romania), kashkawan (Syria and Lebanon), or ksara (Turkey).

What Is Kashkaval?

Kashkaval dates back to Roman times, and although similar cheeses are produced throughout southern and eastern Europe, the Levant, and western Asia under a variety of names, kashkaval is typically associated with Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, and Balkan nations such as Serbia and Macedonia. It has a semi-firm texture with a bit of bounce or elasticity and can be easily crumbled.

Kashkaval has a nutty, mildly salty flavor, with sheep's milk varieties typically tasting stronger and having a slightly richer texture due to the higher fat and protein content. According to European regulations, it must be aged for at least two months but can be aged for several months to develop a deeper, more piquant flavor and firmer, drier texture.

Like mozzarella, provolone, and queso de hebra, kashkaval is a pulled curd or pasta filata ('spun paste' in Italian) cheese. The curds are heated in hot water, then stretched until smooth before the cheese is formed. 

How Kashkaval Is Made

To produce kashkaval, milk is heated, then starter cultures and rennet are added. The milk is allowed to sit until the rennet has coagulated the curd into a gel-like mass. The curd is cut into small pieces, then stirred and gently heated to help remove moisture. The whey is drained off, then the curds are milled into small pieces and then pressed (similar to the way Cantal or cheddar are produced) until it's acidic enough to stretch. 

At this point, the cheesemaker gives the milled and pressed curd a bath in a hot salt brine, which softens the curd so that it can be kneaded until smooth and elastic. The cheese is pressed into a cylindrical wheel-shaped mold. 

For the next two weeks, the cheesemaker applies dry salt to the exterior of the cheese to help form the rind and drive out moisture, although for some varieties, such as Caşcaval Dobrogen in Romania, salt is applied directly to the curd as it's worked. The cheese is then stored in the cave to age for at least two months. 

Substitutes 

If you can't find kashkaval, you can swap in similar cheeses from the regions of southern and eastern Europe and western Asia where it's produced, such as Greek kasseri, Italian caciocavallo or aged provolone, or other pulled-curd cheeses from Russia, Turkey, and the Balkans.

In recipes in which the cheese is fried or grilled, halloumi or kefalotyri can stand in for kashkaval. For recipes in which the cheese is melted as part of a larger dish, common melting cheeses such as Monterey Jack, Fontina, or low-moisture mozzarella may be used, although they will offer a milder flavor.

Types

Different varieties of kashkaval can be classified by where they're made as well as the milk they're made from, although they are produced by a similar process. For example, in Bulgaria, the name kashkaval vitosha denotes this style of cheese made from cow's milk, while kashkaval balkan is made from sheep's milk. A variety made from a combination of both milks is called kashkaval preslav.

Uses

Use kashkaval anywhere a flavorful melting cheese is needed, such as on pizzas or flatbreads, in casseroles or gratins, or battered with flour and breadcrumbs and fried on its own. Thanks to its relatively firm texture, it can be grated or shaved onto pastas, salads, and other dishes as a garnish or finishing ingredient. Kashkaval can also be served on a cheese plate or mezze board.

Storage

Store kashkaval cheese in its original packaging in the coldest part of your refrigerator for two to three weeks. If you must discard the packaging after opening, wrap it tightly in cheese paper; if cheese paper is not available, wrap the wedge in a piece of parchment paper and then place it in a plastic sandwich bag, keeping the bag folded around the cheese but not sealed.

Kashkaval Recipes

• Bulgarian Fried Cheese (Kashkaval Pane)
• Argentinian Grilled Provolone Cheese (Provoleta)
• Flaming Greek Cheese Recipe

Can You Eat the Rind?

Some varieties of kashkaval are waxed on the outside to help preserve the cheese, rendering the rind inedible. However, the rind on varieties with natural (unwaxed) exteriors may be edible as long as it’s not too firm to eat.