Oscypek
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Oscypek, also known as oszczypek (plural: oscypki, oszczypki) is a smoked cheese from Poland.
It is created from sheep milk, although cows milk is sometimes added. It is a part of cultural and culinary heritage of the Podhale region in the Tatra mountains (around the town of Zakopane). The original oscypek is always made with un-pasteurized sheep milk, first turned into cottage cheese. Then the batter is repeatedly rinsed with boiling water and squeezed. Then the mass is pressed into wooden, spindle-shaped forms. The shape of the forms is decorative and so is the cheese. The forms are then placed in a barrel with salted water for a night or two. After that the forms are placed close to the roof in a special wooden hut and cured in hot smoke for up to 14 days.
The first mentions of Tatra mountains cheese processing date back to 15th century, the cheese production was even mentioned in location document of the village of Ochotnica in 1416. The first recorded recipe for oscypek was issued in 1748 in Żywiec area.
Due to its popularity it is also made in other parts of Poland, but the genuine oscypek should come from the Tatras. Also, the Union of Tatra Commons (Związek Gmin Tatrzańskich) is currently trying to register the name as a regional product and patent it.pl:oscypek