Van-Style Herb Cheese — Fresh Herb-Layered White Cheese

Insert your finger horizontally into the surface of the curd and lift it: it is ready if it breaks cleanly and the surface is covered with clear yellow whey. Using a long knife, cut vertical and then horizontal lines to make 1 cm cubes. Leave them undisturbed for 10 minutes so they settle to the bottom.

Use a ladle to transfer the curd into a large colander lined with cheesecloth, and collect the whey in a separate bowl. Gather the corners of the cheesecloth and tie it into a bundle. Place a flat plate on top and weigh it down with 2 liters of water. Drain until the whey runs in slow drips.

Trim the tough stems from the herbs, wash them twice in plenty of water, and dry them thoroughly with a clean towel. Wet herbs can cause the cheese to darken and sour. Chop the sirmo and heliz into 1 cm pieces, leaving the thyme leaves whole. Rub the herbs lightly with some of the salt, let stand for 5 minutes, then squeeze out the liquid.

Crumble the drained curd by hand and mix it with the remaining salt. In a mold, layer finger-thick cheese, a thin layer of herbs, and more cheese, pressing each layer with your palm. Finish with a layer of cheese. Make the brine by dissolving 100 grams of salt in one liter of boiled, cooled water. Transfer the cheese to the brine and refrigerate.