Sirene ( bg, сирене ; sr, сир, italics=no/; mk, сирење, italics=no; sq, djathë i bardhë), also known as "white brine sirene" ( bg, бяло саламурено сирене, links=no), is a type of

brined cheese Brined cheese, also sometimes referred to as pickled cheese for some varieties, is cheese that is matured in brine in an airtight or semi-permeable container. This process gives the cheese good stability, inhibiting bacterial growth even in war ...

originating from Bulgaria. It is made of the milk of goats, sheep, cows, buffalo or a mixture thereof.,
Characteristics of major traditional regional cheese varieties of East-Mediterranean countries: a review
, Efstathios Alichanidis & Anna Polychroniadou, Dairy Sciеnce & Technology, Volume 88, Number 4–5, July–October 2008 It is slightly crumbly, with at least 46–48% of dry matter containing 44–48% of fat. It is commonly produced in blocks, and has a slightly grainy texture. It is used as a table cheese, in salads, and in baking. In 2023, the name "Bulgarsko byalo salamureno sirene" was registered as a

protected designation of origin The protected designation of origin (PDO) is a type of geographical indication of the European Union and the United Kingdom aimed at preserving the designations of origin of food-related products. The designation was created in 1992 and its main ...

in the European Union.

Recipes

Traditional dishes using sirene are: Soups: potato or vegetable soup with sirene (сиренява чорба). Salads: shopska salad with tomatoes,

bell pepper The bell pepper (also known as paprika, sweet pepper, pepper, or capsicum ) is the fruit of plants in the Grossum Group of the species ''Capsicum annuum''. Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in different colors, including red, yellow, orange ...

cucumber Cucumber (''Cucumis sativus'') is a widely-cultivated Vine#Horticultural climbing plants, creeping vine plant in the Cucurbitaceae family that bears usually cylindrical Fruit, fruits, which are used as culinary vegetables.

s, onions and sirene. Ovcharska salad ('shepherd's salad') with the above-mentioned vegetables, cheese, ham, boiled eggs and olives. Tomatoes with sirene is a traditional light salad during the summer. Eggs: fried eggs and omelettes with sirene. There is also a popular kind of boiled eggs over mashed sirene with a sauce of yogurt, garlic, parsley and walnuts (яйца по панагюрски; eggs à la Panagyurishte). Pasta and

cornmeal Cornmeal is a meal (coarse flour) or a cell membrane ground from dried corn. It is a common staple food, and is ground to coarse, medium, and fine consistencies, but not as fine as wheat flour can be.Herbst, Sharon, ''Food Lover's Companion'', ...

: for breakfast,

macaroni Macaroni (, Italian: maccheroni) is dry pasta shaped like narrow tubes.Oxford DictionaryMacaroni/ref> Made with durum wheat, macaroni is commonly cut in short lengths; curved macaroni may be referred to as elbow macaroni. Some home machines ...

or flat noodles (Bulgarian: юфка; yufka) with sirene and sugar are popular. Kachamak (the local variant of cornmeal,

polenta Polenta (, ) is a dish of boiled cornmeal that was historically made from other grains. The dish comes from Italy. It may be served as a hot porridge, or it may be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried, or grilled. ...

or the Romanian mămăligă) is always eaten with sirene. Pastry: the traditional banitsa and other kinds of pastry are also made with sirene. Stuffed peppers are more often stuffed with rice, but are also made with sirene-and-eggs filling. Also it is consumed as an appetiser.

Similar cheeses in other countries

Many Balkan and other cheeses are similar to (but not the same as) sirene, and are known by various names. The local consumers of each country are usually well aware of the differences between the various white cheeses. Part of the differences are that the breeds of sheep and goats in each region are different, and their feed may have specific regional characteristics that affect the taste and texture of cheese made from their milk. * Albania: djathë i bardhë – white cheese * Czech Republic:

Balkánský sýr Balkánský sýr ( en, Balkan cheese) is a type of white brined cheese produced from cow's milk in Czech Republic and Slovakia. It is a salty semi-hard white cheese, analogous to Bulgarian sirene and Greek feta. It is usually not matured ( cs, nezr ...

– Balkan cheese * Greece: feta –

(PDO) * Iran: Lighvan or Tabrizi paneer – cheese of Lighvan or Tabriz * Israel: Bulgarit (בולגרית) – Bulgarian (cheese) * Lebanon: Bulghari (بلغاري) – Bulgarian (cheese) * Mexico: cotija cheese * Romania: telemea * Russia:

bryndza Bryndza (from Romanian ''brânză'' cheese) is a sheep milk cheese made across much of East-Central Europe, primarily in or around the Carpathian Mountains of Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania and southern Poland. Bryndza cheese is creamy white in app ...

(Брынза) * Turkey: beyaz peynir – white cheese * Ukraine:

(бринза)

References

{{Cuisine of Bulgaria Albanian cheeses Bulgarian cheeses Serbian cheeses Sheep's-milk cheeses Cow's-milk cheeses Lebanese cuisine Iranian cuisine Israeli cheeses Brined white cheeses

Recipes

Similar cheeses in other countries

See also

References