Dairy
Kashkaval Sheep
Kashkaval Sheep is the Balkan pasta-filata cheese made from ewe’s milk—yellowish, elastic, and semi-hard, with a mild to piquant tang depending on age. The curd is scalded and stretched, then formed into wheels or blocks that slice cleanly and melt into pliable sheets. Sheep milk gives a sweeter, richer, more aromatic profile than the widespread cow-milk kashkaval of industrial dairies. Slice for sandwiches and meze, grate over pastries, or bake until the surface browns and the interior stretches. Pair with cured meats, olives, and red wine from the Balkans. Age deepens salt and nuttiness; young wheels stay buttery and mild. Label sheep milk explicitly—generic “kashkaval” is often cow.
Also known as: Cașcaval de oaie
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Characteristics
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History
Ottoman-era Balkan dairies stretched sheep curd into kashkaval wheels for trade across the peninsula.
Regional creameries in Bulgaria, Romania, and North Macedonia standardised sheep and mixed-milk kashkaval formats.
Specialty producers revived pure sheep kashkaval as a richer alternative to mass cow versions.