Chechil cheese was invented in the Caucasus, Armenian shepherd who kept the milk in the winter, making it out of the cheese. Try a real cheese Chechil can probably only in the villages of Armenia, although modern cheese manufacturers are doing everything they can to bring your cheese to your taste, which is the original cheese Chechil cooked at home.

How to make cheese Chechil

Cheese production Chechil take pasteurized milk. The fat content of the milk should be very low, often use low-fat dairy products. Milk is warmed up to thirty two degrees, and then added thereto rennet - pepsin. After some time in the milk curd formed lumps, clots. After the formation of such lumps mixture was well stirred and heated to sixty degrees. The temperature is constantly monitored if the mixture is heated too much, or, conversely, too weak, then the cheese will.

As a result of heat produced cheese flakes that float in the resulting serum .  Flakes filter, separating the serum, well add some salt and spread on a flat surface .  After one hand form the thread .  With the proper preparation of raw cheese flakes are very ductile, so stretch the string and form the desired thickness and size is not difficult for an experienced cheesemaker .  These threads are wrapped in coils or braided in a short tight braids, and then soaked in brine .  The brine is prepared is not very strong, as oversalting product will make it harder .  The brine cheese should remain for a month, during which the maturation of the product .  Pigtails, thanks to the tight braiding, cheese retains a lot of nutrients for a long time, although it can not be stored for more than two and a half months .  After this period, made without preservatives cheese can deteriorate .

What is useful and what is harmful cheese Chechil

Due to the fact that the cheese is made from low-fat or skim milk, Chechil has a fat content of 10%. Thus, Chechil - one of the most low-calorie cheese, it is perfectly suitable for those who hold different diets for weight loss.

If you use Chechil instead of fatty delicious cheese calorie diet significantly reduced as a hundred grams of this cheese contains about 300-350 calories. For comparison, the energy value of fat cheeses on average 500-600 calories.

At the same time, too much cheese have not recommended. Because of the high (up to eight per cent) of the salt content in the composition of cheese Chechil this product should be limited to those who suffer from diseases of the kidneys and cardiovascular system. Precautions should eat this cheese, and those who want to lose weight, because salt retains water in the body and contributes to weight gain.

Unfortunately, the sale of common off-Chechil natural cheese produced on the simplified technology. For example, cheese braids Copts are not the classical way and handled so-called "liquid smoke." Sometimes preservative is added to cheese for better storage, colorants, flavors. All these additives may cause allergic reactions, they make cheese more harmful.

Varieties of cheese Chechil

Cheese Chechil always has the form of long filaments, more or less wide. These filaments may curl into balls or bundles totter in short braids and wreaths. Interestingly, the short form of tight braids of cheese strands patented.

The name of the cheese in Armenian means "confused." Many believe that the best quality cheese Chechil looks finest yarns that, if desired, can be passed through the needle's eye. But in reality, there are many varieties of cheese, and not always the filament should be so thin. For example, cooking fat sticks are ideal for this cheese. Also check the quality of the cheese in such a manner in the store would probably be difficult.

Cheese Chechil can be salty or smoked. The second type is easily recognized by a specific aroma and golden brown. Conventional salty cheese strands are pale yellow, almost white color and soft, almost imperceptible crust. Smoked cheese is considered one of the best snacks to beer, and it is suitable as an accompaniment to the young grape wine.

The closest relative of cheese Chechil - Suluguni. But Chechil fermented milk has a more pronounced flavor and pronounced fibrous, layered structure.

What to eat cheese Chechil

Taste Chechil cheese - soft, salty and slightly spicy. He is very good as self-starters, for example, in a way. Since the taste of cheese is self-sufficient, it is optionally combined with other products, although Chechil perfectly with bread and fresh vegetables. It can be cooked with vegetables, in salads, combined with fried or stewed mushrooms. Interesting combination of cheese with meat or seafood. There are even recipes for soups and cheese Chechil. Cheese is added to the soup just before the end of cooking. It not only gives the dish an original look, but also greatly enriches the flavor.

Smoked cheese - a great appetizer Low calorie snacks   beer. Do not expose the smoked cheese better with grape wine. In Armenia, this cheese is often fried in a pan, giving it the original spicy flavor. It is often used savory herbs and spices that change the taste of cheese.

If Chechil was too salty, it can be soaked in fresh milk for several hours and then thoroughly dried. Since the cheese acquires a delicate flavor and pleasant texture.

Maria Bykov

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