Svrljiški belmuž

Belmuž is a traditional shepherd's dish originating from eastern Serbia. This simple dish consists of only three ingredients – cheese, flour, and a bit of salt. The key ingredient is cheese, that should be fresh and full-fat cow's or preferably sheep's cheese. Once cut into pieces, the cheese is placed in a big pot over low heat. As it melts, salt and flour are added until a homogenous mass is formed. The mixture is continuously stirred with a big wooden spoon until the fat separates and starts to float on the surface. Belmuž is then ready to be served, usually as an appetizer with sour milk and various sliced vegetables. Interestingly, if the cheese used for the dish is already salt, there is no need to add extra salt to the dish. Belmuž is traditionally prepared by men due to the fact that it needs to be continuously stirred as it cooks, which takes a lot of effort.