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Sirene (Bulgarian: сирене), officially called the "white
brine sirene" is a type of brine cheese made in South-Eastern Europe, especially
popular in Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia and other Balkan countries. |
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Left: Sirene. |
It
was originally made of goat's milk, but the predominant variation today is made
of the cheaper cow's milk, sheep milk or a combination of milks. It is slightly
crumbly with a fat content of about 40-45%. It is commonly produced in blocks,
and has a slightly grainy texture. It is used as a table cheese, as well as in
salads and in baking.
Sirene, together with yoghurt, is a national food of all the countries in
Balkans. Many Bulgarians, Serbs, Croats, Macedonians and Greeks regularly eat
some sirene or yoghourt in some form.
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One of the traditional
dishes using sirene is
Shopska salad,
made with tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, onions and sirene.
Tomatoes with sirene is a traditional light salad during the summer. |
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Left: Bulgarian
Sirene and products for preparation of Shopska salad. |
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 a la Panagyurishte).
