Gebzhalia

Method

1. 01

   Finely chop 60 g fresh mint. Pound it with 2 garlic cloves, 1 green hot pepper, and about 3/4 teaspoon salt until juicy and paste-like; keep about one-third of this mint paste aside for the sauce.

   
2. 02

   Slice the 700 g young sulguni about 0.5 cm thick. Warm 750 ml whole milk in a wide pot until steaming but not boiling, then lower the heat and add the cheese slices in an even layer.

   
3. 03

   Gently stir and press the cheese in the hot milk until the slices soften, join together, and stretch when lifted, about 3-5 minutes. Turn off the heat as soon as the cheese is pliable, and reserve the warm milk in the pot.

   ⏱ 5 min
4. 04

   Lift the hot cheese onto a wet board. Working quickly, knead it only a few times to smooth it, then flatten it into a rough rectangle about 5-6 mm thick before it cools.

   
5. 05

   Spread the larger portion of mint paste over the flattened cheese. Roll it up firmly like a roulade, then cut the roll into 12 thick gebzhalia pieces.

   
6. 06

   Whisk 400 g cold matsoni with 150 g nadughi, the reserved one-third mint paste, and 150-200 ml of the warm cheese milk until pourable and lightly creamy. Taste, then add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt only if needed.

   
7. 07

   Arrange the 12 cheese pieces in a shallow dish and pour the mint dairy sauce over them. Chill for at least 30 minutes so the rolls firm up and the sauce absorbs the mint flavor, then serve cold or cool.

   ⏱ 30 min