Göbek kaşar, literally "belly" or "navel" kaşar, is the classic round wheel of Turkish kashkaval, a semi-hard pasta filata cheese. This Melis wheel is full fat, with a minimum of 45% fat in dry matter, and the pack label lists pasteurised cow's milk, cheese cultures, microbial rennet and salt. It weighs 400 g, a handy size for a household.
The flavour is mild, creamy and lightly salty, so the cheese suits both the breakfast table and the cooking pot. Cut it into slices to serve with tomatoes, olives and fresh bread, or tuck it into a toasted sandwich where it melts into long, stretchy strands. It is also a good choice for börek and gözleme fillings, for baking on pide and pizza, and for grating over pasta or gratins.
The label asks you to keep the cheese refrigerated at +8 °C or below and to eat it within a week of opening. Wrap the cut surface in baking paper or cling film so that it does not dry out, and take it out of the fridge a few minutes before serving for the best texture.