Körözött – Sandwich Spread

When I decided to share this recipe with you, I did not realize how difficult, almost impossible it is to translate its name and even say it out loud for non-Hungarians. So here goes, Kuh-ruh-zuht, is a very popular sandwich spread in Hungary. All families have their own recipe and add their ‘secret’ ingredient to it, adjust the measurements of ingredients and they swear their körözött is the best of course. But they are wrong because mine is the best! O.k. one of the best.

This is a very divisive food in my international friendship. Lots of people love it others hate it, but no one can stay neutral. The first time I offered körözött to Kyara, I was not sure how she will like it but became one of her favorite Hungarian food. This is happiness for me.

One of the basic ingredient is sheep cottage cheese. I buy it in Turkish grocery because it’s not a general product in Dutch supermarkets. Lactose free cream cheese is the other very important ingredient what can be replaced with butter if you use it. I prefer to use cream cheese because it makes a nicer creamier texture.

You might ask if I’m already using lactose in the form of sheep cottage cheese, why use a lactose free cream cheese. Cow’s milk and therefore cheese has bigger fat globules, which is the main reason cream separates from the liquid and how we get butter. However, these bigger fat globules make it more difficult to digest. When compared to sheep’s milk which have smaller fat globules and are easier to digest I end up with a combination of sheep cottage cheese and lactose free cream cheese.