Traditional Azerbaijani Braided Cheese & Savory Olive Cake

This rustic meal features hand-stretched smoked braided cheese paired with a moist, savory cake loaded with salty olives and melted cheese for a true mountain village flavor profile.

Servings 8 persons Difficulty Medium baking bread cheese dairy vegetables 120 minutes

Products used in this recipe

Important Disclaimer: The original video shows large-scale traditional cooking without precise measurements. The quantities below are estimations adapted for a smaller, home-friendly batch and might need adjustment. They are inspired by the video but are not exact conversions. Feel free to adjust ingredients like sugar or ghee to your personal preference.

Ingredients

📌 Ingredients for Traditional Smoked Braided Cheese You Can Make Yourself:

🥛 5 L whole cow's milk (unhomogenized preferred)
🧪 5 ml liquid rennet
🧂 50 g sea salt

Instructions

👩🏻‍🍳 Preparation Steps for Traditional Smoked Braided Cheese:

1. Heat the milk in a large pot to 35°C, then add the liquid rennet and stir gently.
2. Cover the pot and let the milk sit for 45 to 60 minutes until a firm curd forms.
3. Cut the curd into small cubes and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow the whey to separate.
4. Strain the curds through a cheesecloth, collecting the whey in a separate pot.
5. Heat the collected whey to 80°C.
6. Place small batches of the curd into a strainer and submerge them in the hot whey for 1 to 2 minutes until the curd becomes elastic and stretchy.
7. Knead and stretch the hot curd by hand until it is smooth and shiny, then pull it into long, thick strands.
8. Braid the strands tightly while they are still warm and flexible.
9. Submerge the braided cheese in a cold saltwater brine (10% salt concentration) for 2 hours to firm up and season.
10. Hang the cheese in a smoker or a cool, dry place with wood smoke for 24 hours until it develops a golden-brown exterior.

Ingredients 2

📌 Ingredients for Savory Olive and Cheese Cake You Can Make Yourself:

🥚 4 large eggs
🥛 200 ml plain yogurt
🥛 150 ml whole milk
🌻 100 ml vegetable oil
🍞 350 g wheat flour
🍞 10 g baking powder
🫒 50 g sliced green olives
🫒 50 g sliced black olives
🧀 150 g shredded braided cheese
🧂 5 g salt
🧂 2 g black pepper

Instructions 2

👩🏻‍🍳 Preparation Steps for Savory Olive and Cheese Cake:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the salt and black pepper until frothy.
2. Pour in the yogurt, milk, and vegetable oil, whisking until the mixture is completely smooth.
3. Sift the wheat flour and baking powder into the liquid base and fold gently until no dry clumps remain.
4. Add the sliced green olives, black olives, and shredded braided cheese to the batter.
5. Fold the ingredients together until the olives and cheese are evenly distributed.
6. Line a round baking tin with parchment paper and pour the batter into the tin, smoothing the top with a spatula.
7. Sprinkle a few additional olive slices and a pinch of dried herbs on top for decoration.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Allow the cake to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Ingredients 3

📌 Ingredients for Crispy Fried Cheese Sticks with Red Pepper Sauce You Can Make Yourself:

🧀 200 g braided cheese (cut into 5 cm sticks)
🍞 50 g wheat flour
🌻 300 ml vegetable oil (for frying)
🌶️ 3 large red sweet peppers
🧪 15 ml apple cider vinegar
🧂 5 g salt

Instructions 3

👩🏻‍🍳 Preparation Steps for Crispy Fried Cheese Sticks with Red Pepper Sauce:

1. To make the sauce, remove the seeds from the red peppers and chop them finely or process them in a manual grinder.
2. Place the pepper pulp in a small saucepan with the salt and vinegar, and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes until thickened, then set aside to cool.
3. Place the wheat flour in a bowl and toss the cheese sticks until they are lightly and evenly coated.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or wok until it reaches 180°C.
5. Fry the floured cheese sticks in small batches for 1 to 2 minutes until they turn golden and crispy.
6. Remove the cheese sticks with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels.
7. Serve the hot, crispy cheese sticks immediately with the chilled red pepper sauce for dipping.

Watch the recipe video