Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ PDO Protected Designation of Origin

Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ is a traditional cheese from Malta, made from whole raw milk of sheep. The sheep are of the Maltese breed and its crosses, registered in the Maltese islands, including Malta, Gozo, and Comino. This cheese is available in three varieties: fresh (friska), air-dried (niexfa), and pickled and peppered (tal-bżar). It is a rindless cheese with a truncated cone shape and can vary in height, weight, and diameter. The cheese has a semi-hard to hard texture, except for the fresh variety, which is creamy and soft. The flavor ranges from sweet and slightly salty to acidic and peppery, depending on the variety. Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ is an integral part of Maltese culinary heritage and is used in various traditional dishes.

Key Facts

Country of Origin Malta
Specific Origin Malta, Gozo, and Comino
Protection PDO (2023)
Milk Type Sheep
Milk Treatment Raw
Fat Content 15% – 40%
Rind Rindless
Texture Semi-hard to hard (except for the fresh variety, which is creamy and soft)
Flavor Sweet and slightly salty (friska), sweet to slightly acidic (niexfa), moderate to high acidic and peppery (tal-bżar)
Aroma Low intensity, fresh milk, slight smell of sheep (friska), slightly acidic (niexfa), spicy (tal-bżar)
Colors White (friska), ivory to straw yellow (niexfa), pale straw yellow to ochre (tal-bżar)
Forms Fresh (friska), Air-dried (niexfa), Pickled and peppered (tal-bżar)

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