Bryndza Spread (Bryndzová Nátierka)

Ingredients: bryndza, butter, paprika, onion, bread or rožky
Prep Time: 10 minutes

Another popular thing to do with bryndza, the Slovak national cheese, is to make a spread (nátierka) commonly known as šmirkáš. I made it using the fake bryndza – the Israeli style Feta cheese from Trader Joe’s.

Finely slice onions (I like using spring onions and I used three of them) and combine them with about equal amounts of bryndza and butter. Also add a spoonful of paprika. You should use less than what I have here.

Mix together, and voile – done! The spread shouldn’t be so red (should be more pinkish), but unfortunately I did not have any more bryndza to dilute my little paprika pouring accident. If you serve the spread on bread rolls, you can either slice them in the middle, like shown in the olovrant post, or you can spread the nátierka on top of the roll.

That’s it. This is a very simple, yet very traditional Slovak recipe.

Update June 6th, 2010

And this is what the spread should look like when you make it right.

lubos says:

May 24, 2010 at 5:05 am

I learned two interesting facts since posting this recipe. First, turns out that the word šmirkáš is whole lot less common than I had thought. I thought it was completely universal across Slovakia, but couple of my friends commented that they have never heard this name. They simply refer to this spread as bryndzová nátierka. Second, supposedly ‘smeerkaas’ is Dutch for cheese spread – hence the name.

Dick Uhrick says:

May 24, 2010 at 8:24 am

Lubos:

Thanks for your recipe for “Brndza Spread”. My Slovak grandmother made an exceptional one with one or more cheeses that she had on hand, such as Lipto, Quark, Farmers, and sometimes, even cream cheese. She usually blended it, for example, half farmers and half full fat quark, adding all of the same ingredients in your recipe, with the addition of 2 or 3 mashed anchovie fillets, a couple of teaspoonfuls of good mustard and a half teaspoon of caraway seeds. The caraway is really essential and she smashed them with the back of a large spoon to release their flavor. When I make it, I also add a teaspoon of chopped capers, about a quarter teaspoon of black pepper, a tablespoon of chopped parsley and a couple of tablespons of chopped sour pickles. Served on a good rye or dark bread, it’s wonderful!

Miro says:

May 24, 2010 at 2:35 pm

please dick, don’t go there. We are talking about Slovak recipes, right?

I’ll skip a generation talking about my mother.

Bryndza spread, let me see, my mom had no idea what “anchovies” are or way how to get them.

you add a few capers? Good for you!

Listen, I am not trying to be an adverse, but we are talking about Slovak recipes, and we all made some adjustments when we went off the ‘Slovak reservation’ but lets go to what we really cook in Slovakia, not somewhere else.

OK, I live in the US DC area for 32 years.

Please, take it right, no offense …

BTW Lubos, cut down on paprika and add some black pepper seasoning, that’s how my sis (still in Slovakia) is doing it!

- lubos says:
  
  May 24, 2010 at 4:46 pm
  
  Miro – that paprika was accident, I mentioned it in the recipe. It was one of those “let me just pour little bit from the largest opening in the container” oops moments… Unfortunately I did not have any more bryndza to dilute it.
  
  - Miro says:
    
    May 24, 2010 at 4:59 pm
    
    Lubos, I know, it happens to me more than I want, adding more seasoning
    
    I was going by the look, and Bryndzová Nátierka should not look so “dark”.
    
    though I am not sure if it did anything to a taste … maybe just a look and presentation, and in that case who cares