{"id":25003,"date":"2015-12-07T10:07:05","date_gmt":"2015-12-07T15:07:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/?p=25003"},"modified":"2022-05-11T06:05:34","modified_gmt":"2022-05-11T10:05:34","slug":"wheys-less-traveled-gaga-gbejnet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/wheys-less-traveled-gaga-gbejnet\/","title":{"rendered":"Wheys Less Traveled: Gaga for \u0120bejnet"},"content":{"rendered":"

During my childhood in Astoria, Queens, my Maltese relatives would congregate on Sundays. Usually there were guests and the grown-ups would swap stories and memories in the native tongue, a quirky language with Semitic roots that sounds very much like Arabic. The highlight of these gatherings, of course, were the goodies my grandmothers would make, such as pastizzi<\/em> (savory ricotta cheesecakes), mqaret<\/em> (fried date pastries), and hearty pastas\u2014all culinary staples on the tiny group of islands located in the Mediterranean, south of Sicily and north of Libya. Family members who had recently visited the country brought back candies and\u2014if we were lucky\u2014one of Malta\u2019s most storied gustatory treasures: peppery, vinegar-tinged cheeselets called \u0121bejniet<\/em> (\u0121bejna is the singular form).<\/p>\n

Addictive \u0121bejniet\u2014pronounced jay-bee-knee-it<\/em>\u2014are found on appetizer platters, crumbled atop soups, alongside tomatoes and olive oil in sandwiches, or as a substitute for ricotta in recipes. I savored these cheeses as a kid and continued to crave them as an adult, but knew that I would have to travel to the source to sample all the varieties (it\u2019s near-impossible to find them in the US). Fresh \u0121bejniet are smooth, semi-solid, and packaged in whey. Aged \u0121bejniet may be sundried or salt-cured. The peppered \u0121bejniet of my childhood, hard cheeses rolled in crushed black pepper and stored in oil or pickled in vinegar, are crowd-pleasers.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: “Landscape countryside scenery in Gozo…”<\/a> by Curioso<\/a> | Shutterstock<\/a><\/em><\/small><\/p><\/div>\n

Most \u0121bejniet are made on small family farms on Gozo\u2014Malta\u2019s tiny sister island\u2014from either pasteurized or raw sheep\u2019s or goat\u2019s milk, plus rennet and salt. Each \u0121bejna is shaped in a three-inch qwieleb<\/em>, or cheese basket. Though there have been some modern upgrades to the production process over the years\u2014once made from reeds, baskets are plastic now\u2014you can still spot \u0121bejniet drying in open boxes covered with mosquito netting on Gozitan rooftops, a pastoral and drool-inducing sight.<\/p>\n

When I take my annual trip to Malta, I can\u2019t get enough of the snack-size \u0121bejniet\u2014you\u2019ll find me stocking up at local markets or fruit and vegetable trucks (the cheeses are available in grocery stores, but they\u2019re usually made from cow\u2019s milk and, according to some folks, lack the charm of the small-batch gems). Then, armed with crusty bread and tomatoes, I\u2019m off to feast.<\/p>\n

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Bread with Oil (Hob\u017c Bi\u017c-\u017bejt)<\/h2>\n
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This simple, open-faced sandwich is enjoyed everywhere in Malta and Gozo, especially as part of picnic lunches on the beach. I have yet to find a cheese in the US that is similar in taste or texture to \u0121bejniet\u2014several of my Maltese friends have tried to make them at home with limited success. Small chunks of imported feta cheese are a good substitute here.<\/div>\n
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Servings <\/span>4<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

Ingredients
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