Solčavski sirnek

Solčavski sirnek is a traditional aged cheese originating from Solčava and the Upper Savinja valley. This mature and lightly salted cottage cheese is mixed with cumin and fresh cream before serving. The fresh curds made from skimmed milk are salted, mixed with cumin, and placed in a clean container.

The curd is squeezed and covered with a clean cloth before it's left to mature for 14 to 21 days. Sometimes, the cheese is aged for up to 2 months or more. During the maturation process, solčavski sirnek is occasionally stirred and mixed with small amounts of fresh curd cheese.

If properly matured, the cheese should be firm and not greasy, while the flavor should be slightly spicy. It's recommended to serve the cheese with cold cuts, apples, brown bread, honey, and plum conserves. A creamy soup called sirnica is also made from this cheese.