🧀 Urdă

Urdă is a fresh whey cheese from the Carpathians and the Balkans, made by heating sheep's whey. It is produced in Romania, Moldova and the Balkans, and in the Ukrainian Carpathians a similar product is called vurda.

Urdă is a by-product of cheesemaking. First, cheese is made from sheep's milk with rennet; the remaining whey is then heated slowly almost to boiling. The whey proteins coagulate and rise as flakes, which are skimmed off and drained in cloth. Sometimes a little milk is added to the whey for a softer result. This places urdă among Whey cheeses, like Italian ricotta.

There is no ripening: urdă is eaten fresh, within a few days. It is white, moist and finely grained, with a mild, slightly sweet taste and a light aroma of sheep's milk. It contains little or no salt.

Urdă is served with polenta (mămăligă), mixed with sour cream and dill, and used in pies, dumplings and pancakes. Sweet dishes pair it with honey and raisins. Keep it refrigerated and tightly covered.

Why it matters to you: urdă shows how cheesemakers use every part of the milk. It is a light, protein-rich cheese for breakfast and baking; when buying, check freshness, as its shelf life is short.