Kashkaval, known in Turkey as kaşar peyniri, is a stretched-curd (pasta filata) cheese with a smooth, elastic texture and a gently salty, milky flavour. This Melis block weighs 750 g and, according to the pack label, is made from pasteurised cow's milk, salt and vegetarian rennet. The pack carries Halal and non-GMO marks, and it is produced in Germany for Gima UK.
In a Turkish kitchen kaşar is an everyday cheese. Cut it into thin slices for the breakfast table next to olives, tomatoes and cucumbers, press it into a toasted sandwich (kaşarlı tost), melt it over menemen or eggs, or grate it over pasta bakes, pide and homemade pizza. It also works well as a filling for börek, gözleme and stuffed flatbreads, and it grills or fries into golden, bubbling slices.
Keep the cheese refrigerated at +4 °C to +8 °C. Once the pack is opened, wrap the block tightly and eat it within a few days, as advised on the label. For the neatest slices, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before cutting.