Kaçkavall Zgare
(kach-kah-VAHL zgah-reh)
Zgara: The Backyard Besa
Walk past any zgara in Albania, and the first thing that hits you isn't the roasting lamb—it’s the intoxicating aroma of sheep's milk cheese bubbling against hot iron. Growing up in the States, our backyard barbecues were a mashup of Midwestern suburbia and Balkan tradition, and this was the ultimate offering of hospitality. The secret here is doing almost nothing at all: screaming hot cast iron, a thick slab of good cheese, and the self-control not to flip it too early. It tells your guests to sit down, tear off a piece of bread, and belong.
Before you start
Take the chill off the cheese.
Remove the cheese from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before cooking so it comes slightly to room temperature, which helps it melt evenly on the inside before the outside burns.
Mind your knife work.
Cut the cheese into 3/4-inch slabs; if you cut it too thin, it will melt into a grease puddle before a proper crust can form.
Ingredients
- Kaçkavall cheese1 lb
- extra-virgin olive oil1 tbsp
- dried Mediterranean oregano1 tsp
- crusty bread loaf1 large
Method
- 01
Fire up your cast-iron skillet.
Place a medium cast-iron skillet directly onto the grates of your backyard grill over medium-high heat, or onto your kitchen stove, until a drop of water dances and evaporates instantly.
- 02
Sear the cheese undisturbed.
Add the olive oil to the pan, let it shimmer, and carefully lay the cheese slabs into the skillet so they spit and sizzle violently for 2 to 3 minutes.
- 03
Flip the cheese to finish the melt.
Slide a thin metal spatula under the cheese, flipping confidently once a rigid, caramelized crust has formed, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the edges bubble and collapse slightly.
- 04
Garnish and serve immediately in the hot pan.
Remove the skillet from the heat, drizzle with a little more raw olive oil, and forcefully crush the dried oregano between your fingers as you sprinkle it over the molten cheese.
Notes
Source a thick slab of substitute cheese if authentic Kaçkavall is unavailable.
Grab a block of Halloumi from the supermarket, or ask the deli counter for a single, un-sliced 1-inch thick slab of young Pecorino or sharp Provolone.
Use the right oregano.
Ensure your label says Mediterranean or Greek oregano; American supermarket oregano is often Mexican, which has a completely different, citrusy flavor profile.
Never put the cheese directly on the grill grates.
Traditional Kaçkavall will melt right through the bars and cause flare-ups. The cast-iron pan catches the flavorful butterfats, mixing them with the oil and oregano to create a rich dipping sauce.
From Cook Albanian in America.