Liptauer
Spicy cheese spread from Central and Eastern European cuisines.
Liptauer is a spicy cheese spread found in the cuisines of Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary. Its name comes from Liptau or Liptó, the German names for the former county of Liptov in northern Slovakia. The spread appears in many regional variations across Central and Eastern Europe, including in Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Albania, Italy (especially around Trieste), and Romania (notably Transylvania). In Slovakia it is called Šmirkás, in Hungary körözött, in Slovenia liptaver, and in Serbia urnebes salata, meaning "chaos salad."
The base of the spread is a soft white cheese such as quark, cottage cheese, or goat cheese. About one third of a traditional Liptauer is bryndza, a sheep milk cheese. These are combined with sour cream, butter or margarine, and finely chopped onions; sometimes beer is added. Common seasonings include ground paprika, fresh parsley, and whole or ground caraway seeds. Variations may include prepared mustard, Worcestershire sauce, capers, or anchovy paste. In Szeklerland and among Transylvanian Hungarians, tarragon is also mixed in.
Liptauer is typically eaten as an open sandwich on rye bread, pumpernickel toast, or bagels, or served as an appetizer with crackers alongside beer or wine. It can also be used as a filling for cold dishes like stuffed tomatoes, peppers, celery, or hard-boiled eggs. Ready-made versions come in small tinfoil packages and have a spicy, sharp taste. In Austria, it is a common snack at Heurigen wine taverns. In Slovakia and Hungary, many families have their own recipes. In Serbia, it is widely available in local restaurants and is often made spicy with paprika, roasted red peppers, and egg yolks. Substitutes for bryndza include Schlierbacher cheese, Mondseer cheese, and Pálpusztai cheese.
- type
- Cheese spread
- origin
- Slovak, Austrian, Hungarian cuisine
- main ingredients
- Sheep milk cheese, goat cheese, quark, or cottage cheese
- also known as
- Šmirkás (Slovakia), körözött (Hungary), Liptauer (Austria), liptaver (Slovenia), urnebes salata (Serbia), liptao (Albania)
- typical base
- Bryndza (sheep milk cheese), chives, paprika
Quick Facts
- Main Ingredient
- Cheeses such as sheep milk, goat milk, quark or cottage
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Liptauer is made with sheep milk cheese, goat cheese, quark, or cottage cheese. The three main ingredients are spreadable white cheese like quark, chives, and paprika. About one third of traditional Liptauer consists of bryndza, a sheep milk cheese. Other soft cheeses used include cottage cheese, quark, and goat. These are mixed with sour cream, butter or margarine and finely chopped onions; sometimes beer is added. Usual spices include ground paprika, fresh parsley, and whole or ground caraway seeds. Variants add others such as prepared mustard, Worcestershire sauce, capers, and anchovy paste. In Szeklerland and among other Transylvanian Hungarians, tarragon is also mixed in.
Reader's Guide
Liptauer is traditionally eaten as an open sandwich, especially with rye bread or pumpernickel toast, or bagels, and also as an appetizer with crackers, served with beer or wine, or as a filling for cold dishes such as stuffed tomatoes, peppers, celery, or hard boiled eggs. Ready-made Liptauer is generally available in small tinfoil packages and has a spicy, sharp taste. In Austria, Liptauer is a typical snack served at Heurigen, Austrian wine-drinking taverns. In Slovakia and Hungary many families have their own recipe for the dish. In Serbia, Liptauer is available in most restaurants that serve local cuisine. It is often made spicy with paprika, roasted red peppers, and egg yolks. Substitutes for bryndza include Schlierbacher cheese, Mondseer cheese, and Pálpusztai cheese.
Did You Know?
- The name Liptauer is derived from the German name Liptau or Liptó for the former county Liptov in northern Slovakia.
- About one third of traditional Liptauer consists of bryndza, a sheep milk cheese.
- In Szeklerland and among other Transylvanian Hungarians, tarragon is also mixed into Liptauer.
- In Serbia, Liptauer is known as urnebes salata, meaning 'chaos salad'.
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