Samegrelo (Mingrelia)
Ghomi
Mingrelian corn porridge with pockets of melting sulguni
75 min·4 servings
Smoked sulguni cheese
Georgian stretched-curd cheese from cow's or buffalo milk, smoked over wood, with a brownish rind; salty, stringy and elastic.
Sulguni is a Georgian cheese made by the pasta filata method: the curd is kneaded and stretched in hot water and then matured in brine. The smoked version is cured over wood smoke, which gives it a golden-brown rind and a robust, savoury smoky flavour. Inside it is layered and fibrous, pulls apart into strands and melts into long threads without releasing much fat, which makes it good for grilling, frying and baking. It is noticeably saltier than mozzarella. It can be found in Russian and Eastern European grocery shops, occasionally at well-stocked cheese counters, and by mail order.
Substitute:
Smoked scamorza or smoked provola come closest, melting into similar strands and bringing the smoky note. They are milder and less salty, so the dish may need a little extra salt; they do not quite match sulguni's firm, layered texture.
Used in · 1 recipe