Katuk

Katuk (Bulgarian Cheese Spread with Garlic and Yogurt)

A beloved Bulgarian breakfast spread, Katuk combines aged white cheese, yogurt, and a generous dose of raw garlic into a thick, tangy paste typically scooped with green peppers, tomatoes, or crusty bread. It is essentially the Bulgarian cousin of tarator and sirene, designed to use up brined cheese that has dried out a bit in the pantry.

Prep

10 min

Total

10 min

Serves

4-6 as a meze

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (9 oz) feta or Bulgarian sirene cheese, well-drained; sirene is traditional, mature feta is the closest substitute
• •120 ml (½ cup) plain whole-milk yogurt, Bulgarian-style if possible (higher fat, slightly tangier), otherwise Greek full-fat
• •60 ml (¼ cup) whole milk, add more by the teaspoon if the spread is too thick
• •3-4 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste; traditional recipes are assertive, use 4 if you want it punchy
• •1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, optional
• •1 tsp dried red chili flakes (chusheshti), optional, for the characteristic Bulgarian warmth
• •salt, to taste, usually none needed, the cheese is brined

Steps

1. 1 Crumble the cheese into a mixing bowl. If it is very hard or dry, grate it on the large holes of a box grater instead.
2. 2 Add the yogurt and stir with a fork, pressing the cheese against the side of the bowl to break it down.
3. 3 Peel the garlic and crush it to a smooth paste with a pinch of salt using the flat of a knife or a microplane. Stir into the cheese mixture.
4. 4 Pour in the milk, a tablespoon at a time, and work it in until you have a thick, spoonable paste, roughly the texture of softened cream cheese. Cover and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the garlic mellows and the flavors marry.
5. 5 Stir once more, taste for salt (the cheese is usually salty enough), and pile into a small dish. Drizzle with olive oil, scatter the chili flakes if using, and serve cold.
6. 6 Eat within 2 days, kept cold. Katuk is traditionally scooped with grilled green peppers, sliced tomato, cucumber batons, or warmed flatbread.