Grain dishes
Oven-baked bulz ciobănesc with sheep cheese
AI-generated serving image
This image was created with the help of artificial intelligence and serves as visual inspiration or a serving suggestion. The actual result may vary depending on the ingredients, quantities and preparation used.
Firm mămăligă is shaped into balls around tangy sheep cheese and baked until a light crust forms. This is the shepherd-style filled ball rather than the also common layered casserole. The oven replaces embers here.
Timing
- Preparation: about 20 minutes, including about 5 minutes during cooking
- Cooking and baking: about 40 minutes
- Cooling for shaping: about 10 minutes
- Total time: about 1 hour 5 minutes
Estimated nutrition
per serving · Calculated for 4 servings.
- Energy
- ≈ 380 kcal
- Protein
- ≈ 13.1 g
- Carbohydrates
- ≈ 37.7 g
- Fat
- ≈ 18.4 g
The nutrition values are estimates based on the ingredients and quantities used. Actual values may vary depending on the product, portion size and preparation.
Calculation basis
Item weights and household measures are estimated. Unless specified: milk with 1.5% fat, cream with 30% fat and Gouda cheese. Optional ingredients, small amounts of seasoning and separately listed side dishes are excluded. For imprecise entries, the amounts below and comparable reference products are assumed. For alternatives, the first listed ingredient is used. Cooking losses have not been measured.
Maize meal uses dry maize as the BLS comparison; 240 g is dry weight rather than cooked polenta. Brânză de burduf uses a feta comparison because an identical dataset is unavailable. All 20 g butter is counted; bacon, egg and sour cream are excluded.
Quantity assumptions and ingredient mapping
- 240 g fine maize meal for mămăligă, not an instant mix · ≈ 240.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 800 ml water · ≈ 800.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 200 g brânză de burduf, tangy Romanian sheep cheese · ≈ 200.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 20 g butter · ≈ 20.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
Matvaretabellen: Mattilsynet · Santa Maria
Food data: Max Rubner-Institut, BLS 4.0 (2025), CC BY 4.0. Calculated and rounded for this recipe. BLS 4.0 · CC BY 4.0
Ingredients
- 240 g fine maize meal for mămăligă, not an instant mix
- 800 ml water
- 3 g salt
- 200 g brânză de burduf, tangy Romanian sheep cheese
- 20 g butter
Instructions
- Bring water and salt to a boil. Sprinkle in maize meal while stirring constantly. Cook over low heat for about 15–20 minutes, stirring regularly with a sturdy spoon. Make firm mouldable mămăligă that pulls from the pan. Follow the meal’s cooking instructions and extend total time if it takes longer.
- Transfer to a plate and cool for about 10 minutes until safe to handle but still pliable. Preheat oven to 220°C conventional heat and grease a small dish with 5 g butter.
- Divide mămăligă into four. With lightly damp hands flatten each into a thick disc, place 50 g crumbled cheese in the middle and close the edges around it. Shape into a rounded ball, enclosing cheese completely.
- Set balls seam down in the dish. Melt remaining 15 g butter and brush thinly over them. Bake for about 15–20 minutes until lightly browned outside and cheese is hot and soft. Small cracks are normal. Serve hot, taking care with the filling.
Tips
- Brânză de burduf is sold by Romanian grocers. Tangy sheep-milk brined cheese is an identified adaptation; feta tastes and melts differently.
- Do not overfill with cheese or balls may collapse. Bacon, fried egg or sour cream would be extra serving variations and are not included here.
