Xynomyzithra Kritis
A soft whey cheese with a sharp to sweetish taste and a granular to creamy texture which is produced traditionally from sheep's milk or goat's milk or from a mixture of the two.
Geographical area: The island of Crete (the administrative areas of the prefectures of Hania, Rethymnos, Iraklio and Lasithio).
This whey cheese is one of the most well-known in Crete. It has a history dating back many centuries and is produced and ripened using traditional technology in installations within the defined geographical area.
The whey is strained and then heated to 90
°C over 30 minutes while being constantly stirred. When the temperature reaches 68-70°Сa small quantity of full cream sheep's or goat's milk up to the proportion of 15% of the net weight is usually added (the added milk). The curd which is engendered by the change in the protein structure is left to stand for 30 minutes and then transferred to moulds for draining for 3-5 hours. Salt is then added in the proportion of 1.5-2% of net weight and the cheese is put into cloth sacks. After this it is pressed for 1 week to raise its acidity before being placed in a room kept at a temperature of not less than 10
°C for ripening lasting not less than 2 months.
