Fellow forum member Tea in Queensland Australia learnt how to make this cheese from a friend who grew up in Malta, and posted:
- Her discussion about with that friend about making rennet here (http://[url=https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,246.0.html).
- A recipe and method including pictures for making this cheese here (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,314.0.html).
- A recipe using it for making Ravioli here (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,317.0.html).
- A recipe using it for making Widow's soup here (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,318.0.html).
Sadly, one year later I finally made this cheese, records here (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,1797.0.html). Bit of Bing/Google internet research:
Single cheese is called Ġbejna, plural is called Ġbejniet, also called Gozo Cheeselets after neighboring island to Malta called Goza. It is normally a goat or sheep's milk, main types are:
- Gbejna Friska = The fresh soft version, sweet creamy milk taste.
- Gbejna Mahsula = Salt cured in brine (a salt and water mix).
- Gbejna Moxxa = Aged dried Gbejna.
- Gbejna Tal-Bzar = The sharper and harder textured pepper cured version. These may also be preserved by pickling in a mixture of oil and vinegar, when they develop a piquant flavour and a crumbly texture.
Good internet info:
- Wikipedia Maltese Gbejna Cheese (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%A0bejna)
- Wikipedia Maltese Gbejna cheeses (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltese_Food#.C4.A0bejniet_.28Gozo_cheeselets.29.5B5.5D)
- Wikimedia nice picture here (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Malta_Gbejniet.JPG).
- Agarfoundation.com (presumably) tourist filling tiny baskets (http://www.agerfoundation.com/?url=www.agerfoundation.com&pos=side&showpic=galleries/gastronomy/cheese-making.JPG).
- Agarfoundation.com three more small photos (http://www.agerfoundation.com/?news=12§ion=SERVICE&type=SERVICE).
In that picture, bottom left & right ones look fresh, Gbejniet Friska; middle bottom are shrunken and look dried, Gbejniet Moxxa; ones in back row left are Gbejniet Tal-Bzar (pepper cured) in oil and vinegar, middle back looks like Gbejniet Tal-Bzar but without oil, and back right like herbed and in oil.
Video clip and series of photos: making Gozo Cheese (Gbejniet) (http://www.sargam.asia/video/1R2bQMZVswQ/Making-fresh-Gozo-cheese-gbejniet.html). Copied by Youtube:
Making fresh Gozo cheese - 'gbejniet' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R2bQMZVswQ#lq-hq)