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Gebzhalia
Gebzhalia: Mingrelian cheese rolls with mint in a minty matsoni sauce
Gebzhalia is one of the dishes Mingrelian hosts in Zugdidi and Martvili bring out when guests arrive: soft, freshly made cheese is warmed in hot milk until pliable, flattened into sheets, scattered with mint and rolled up, then served in a cool, minty yogurt sauce. It is mild, salty and refreshing, served as a starter at a supra. Fresh imeruli cheese is the traditional choice; fresh mozzarella curd works well too. A common mistake is overheating the cheese, which makes it squeaky and tough instead of silky. Chef's tip: keep the milk just below a simmer and work the cheese with a spoon until it is soft enough to stretch, then roll while it is still warm. Fresh cheeses are often made with animal rennet, so choose a vegetarian one.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the cheese rolls
- 14 oz fresh Imeretian cheese or mozzarellacut into 2 cm cubes; choose a vegetarian-rennet cheese
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ oz fresh mintleaves finely chopped
For the sauce
- 10 ½ oz matsoni or plain yogurt
- 1 clove garliccrushed
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp dried chilli flakesoptional
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 10 ½ oz matsoni or plain yogurt with 1 clove garlic, ¼ tsp salt and half of ¼ oz fresh mint. Chill while you make the rolls.
Step 2: Warm 2 cups whole milk in a pan over a medium-low heat until steaming, about 176°F, but not boiling.
5 minStep 3: Add 14 oz fresh Imeretian cheese or mozzarella and stir gently with a wooden spoon for 3–4 minutes, until the cubes soften and start to melt together into a soft, elastic mass. Common mistake: letting the milk boil; the cheese goes rubbery.
4 minStep 4: Lift the cheese out onto a board lined with baking paper. Wearing clean rubber gloves, press it into a sheet about 5 mm thick, 20 × 30 cm.
Step 5: Scatter the rest of ⅓ oz fresh mint over the sheet and roll it up tightly from the long side. Cool for 10 minutes, then cut into 3 cm pieces.
10 minStep 6: Pour the sauce into a shallow dish, sit the rolls in it, sprinkle with ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes and serve cool.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gebzhalia take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of fresh imeretian cheese or mozzarella?
- Provolone or a mild cheddar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
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