The gbejna will be the first Maltese foodstuff to acquire the status.
Maltese gbejna, the source of happiness for the nation, is about to be recognised as an important and protected foodstuff. A proposal for the Maltese cheeselet to acquire the EU status of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) was put forward by Xirka Produtturi Naghag u Moghoz last week.
If successful, the gbejna will be the first item in Maltese cuisine to acquire the prestigious EU mark. The proposal states that a gbejna can only be called so if it is made of whole milk from ‘Maltese’ sheep. The proposal also designates three types of yummy ġbejniet that have been refined over the years and are music to our taste buds.
1. Gbejna friska
The gbejna friska is a white and glossy cheese with a fresh, soft core taking the shape of the mould. It’s the softest of all the gbejna options and a favourite among locals.
2. Gbejna niexfa
This gbejna is a firmer version of the fresh one that has been dried to withstand longer periods. It’s one of the most common ġbejniet, sometimes called Gozo cheese. Look out for its light blue packaging on the shelves and get yourself one (or four).
3. Gbejna tal-bzar
This gbejna is life. Sprinkled with rough ground crushed black pepper, the gbejna tal-bzar has the same consistency as the gbejna niexfa. This gbejna has got quite the kick, especially if you eat slice after slice. #GbejnaForLife
And thanks to local producers such as Benna, we’ve got a whole range of ġbejniet to choose from! Do you think the humbe gbejna merits this prestigious status?