Name: Tushetian Guda with Shoti Bread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 320 g Tushetian sheep-milk Guda, from a reputable producer; 360 g Dedas puri/Shoti bread, fresh or day-old

A wheel and wedges of Tushetian sheep-milk Guda beside pieces of Georgian Shoti bread on a wooden board.

Yield4 appetizer plates

Serving80 g cheese and 90 g bread per person

DifficultyEasy

DietContains milk and wheat (gluten)

Jump to recipe ↓

The dish

About Tushetian Guda with Shoti Bread

A simple Tushetian cheese plate with dense, tangy Guda and warm Georgian bread.

Tushetian Guda is a distinctive mountain cheese traditionally ripened in a sheepskin bag. Sheep-milk, cow-milk and blended versions exist, and their flavour and saltiness vary. This serving plate uses sheep-milk Guda with Dedas puri, also known as Shoti bread, a pairing associated with Tusheti.

Buy the finished cheese from a reputable producer and follow its label; making Guda at home is a specialist cheesemaking process, not a short kitchen recipe. Cut the cheese into small wedges and briefly warm the bread so its crust softens and the centre stays tender. No garnish is needed.

Traditional sheep-milk Guda is made with raw milk. Aging does not guarantee that all harmful germs have been eliminated. Children under 5, adults over 65, pregnant people, and people with weakened immune systems should choose pasteurized dairy. For them, use a pasteurized hard sheep-milk cheese instead, understanding that it is a safer substitute and not Tushetian Guda.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Tushetian Guda with Shoti Bread

Cheese

320 gTushetian sheep-milk Guda, from a reputable producer

Bread

360 gDedas puri/Shoti bread, fresh or day-old

Method

Check and chill the cheese. Read the label for milk type, storage directions and use-by date. Keep the cheese refrigerated at or below 4°C while preparing the bread. If serving anyone at increased risk from foodborne illness, choose pasteurized hard sheep-milk cheese instead; it is not Tushetian Guda.
Heat the oven. Preheat to 180°C. Use a clean board and knife to cut the 320 g cheese into eight small wedges. Return them to the refrigerator while the bread warms.
Warm the Shoti. Tear the 360 g bread into eight pieces and place them on a baking tray. Warm for about 5 minutes, just until soft and fragrant; do not let it dry out.
Plate. Arrange two cheese wedges and two pieces of warm bread on each of four plates. Serve promptly.
Store safely. Return any uneaten cheese to the refrigerator within 2 hours of serving and keep it at or below 4°C. Follow the producer's instructions for storage after opening; discard cheese left above 4°C for more than 2 hours.

Practical guidance

Tips for success

Keep the cheese refrigerated at or below 4°C until you are ready to cut and serve it.
Cut the wedges with a clean knife on a clean board, and keep them small: Guda is salty and savoury.
Warm the bread only until soft and fragrant; a few extra minutes can dry it out.

Practical notes

Choose the milk type. Tushetian Guda is made in sheep, cow and blended-milk versions. This plate specifies sheep-milk Guda; the flavour and salt level still vary by producer and maturation.

Keep the pairing simple. Dedas puri/Shoti is a documented Tushetian accompaniment. Its mild wheat flavour balances the cheese without covering its tangy, savoury character.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated nutrition per serving

Serving size: 80 g cheese and 90 g bread
Energy: About 570 kcal
Carbohydrates: About 45 g
Protein: About 33 g
Fat: About 28 g
Fibre: About 3 g
Sodium: About 2,900 mg

This estimate uses representative sheep-cheese and white Shoti-style bread values and the protected-appellation specification's 8% maximum salt level as a conservative basis for the cheese. Actual fat and sodium vary with milk, producer and maturation; check the package when available.

Allergens and food safety

Contains milk and wheat (gluten). Traditional sheep-milk Tushetian Guda is made from raw milk, and aging alone does not guarantee that harmful germs are gone. Children under 5, adults over 65, pregnant people and people with weakened immune systems should choose pasteurized dairy; use a pasteurized hard sheep-milk cheese for them and do not label it Tushetian Guda. Keep cheese at or below 4°C until serving and refrigerate it again within 2 hours. Follow the package directions after opening. Check labels for other allergens and cross-contact.

The result

Dense, savoury cheese wedges are paired with soft, warm Shoti bread.
The short preparation lets the Tushetian Guda's own tang and saltiness lead.