This fresh cheese has its origins in the world of agriculture and livestock in Andorra, and over time it has become a traditional dessert, served with honey, sugar, jam and even aniseed.
It’s also found in other nearby regions such as the Balearic Islands (Mallorca and Menorca), and in various parts of southern Catalonia such as Ports de Beseit, Alt Maestrat and Terres de l'Ebre; in these areas it’s known as brull and is used for making cakes in a variety of flavours (cinnamon, mint, etc.).
The recipe with brossat that we’re sharing here is a traditional one featuring cardoon. This is a wild plant that’s easy to find and is similar to an artichoke (in fact, it’s also known as artichoke thistle). Its blue stamens are the part we’ll use for the brossat.
In some places it’s sold fresh. It’s a product that’s easy to digest and contains B vitamins and high-quality proteins.
Bring the milk to the boil and then allow to cool slightly. The night before making your cheese, soak the cardoon in water overnight. The following day, remove the cardoon from the water and chop very finely. Strain so that all the juice comes out and add everything to the milk. Stir well, remove from the heat to cool and strain once cold. Serve with sugar or honey; it is very mild. It turns out even better if you use sheep’s milk.
- 50 g cardoon
- 2 litres milk
Bibliography:
Book: Cuina casolana d’Andorra (Andorran Home Cooking)
Author: Maria Dolors Ribes Roigé
Edition: June 1991
