Urnebes — Serbian Spicy Cheese Dip

Put the white cheese in a bowl and mash it with the back of a fork until no large pieces remain. Room-temperature cheese is easier to mash; cheese straight from the refrigerator will crumble instead. Do not use a food processor, or the dip will become pasty.

Grate the garlic. Remove the seeds from the fresh hot pepper and mince it very finely. Add both to the cheese with the hot ground pepper and mix. If you first moisten the ground pepper with one spoonful of oil, its color will blend more evenly into the dip instead of forming specks.

Add the oil a little at a time, stirring after each addition; each spoonful makes the dip glossier and softer. Aim for a spreadable consistency that holds its shape on a spoon. Add the black pepper and taste; the cheese is already salty, so additional salt is usually unnecessary. Store the dip in a covered container in the refrigerator and discard it if its smell or appearance changes.