Demikát (Demikát)
Overview
Demikát is a simple and very old Slovak soup made with bryndza, the soft, salty sheep's cheese of the mountains. Bryndza is mixed with hot water or broth until smooth, then flavoured with fried onion, a little butter and sweet paprika. The soup is poured over pieces of stale bread or croutons and topped with plenty of fresh chives. It has a creamy, tangy taste and is ready in minutes. Some families add potatoes, a little bacon or sour cream, but the shepherds' version uses only cheese, onion, bread and water.
History
Demikát was the food of shepherds in the mountain pastures of central and northern Slovakia, who made it over a fire with the cheese they produced in their huts. It is linked with the regions of Liptov, Orava and Gemer, and similar soups are made in Polish and Ukrainian highland areas. Bryndza has had European protected status in Slovakia since 2008, and the soup is served in traditional mountain restaurants called kolibas.
Main ingredients
Bryndza sheep cheese, water, onion, bread, chives, paprika. The soup is built on bryndza and water and is usually served hot. Diet: vegetarian; not usually gluten-free.
Explore: Cheese soups · More soups from Slovakia
Recipe
Method
- 1
Fry the onion in butter until soft and stir in the paprika.
- 2
Mix the bryndza with a little hot water until smooth.
- 3
Add the rest of the water and the onion and heat without boiling.
- 4
Put the bread in bowls, pour over the soup and top with chives.
- ✓
Serve. About 20 min from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
