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I can still remember standing in the shaded courtyard of my grandmother’s home in Gozo, the scent of straw and hay in the air and the soft sounds of her filling and flipping the ġbejna moulds echoing gently in the breeze. I would watch, captivated, as she moved quickly and confidently, her hands guided by years of practice, shaping each small cheese with pride and precision. After she worked her magic, the cheeses would be left to dry in netted huts, their fragile domes protected from insects but open to the warm air. Rows of ġbejniet, like white pearls, basked in the Gozitan sun, slowly maturing and deepening in flavour. These memories are as vivid to me today as they were then, and they remain one of my most treasured connections to the island and its traditions.
Gbejna, an Arabic word meaning ‘small cheeslet’, may be modest in size but is mighty in its cultural and culinary significance. This humble cheese packs a powerful punch of flavour and texture and serves as a delicious representation of the Gozitan way of life. Made predominantly from sheep’s milk, gbejna is traditionally prepared during the spring season – March through to May – when mother sheep give birth and begin their milking cycle. The cheese is shaped, salted, air-dried, and in some cases, preserved in oil, vinegar, or pepper. Each step, from the sourcing of the milk to the drying process, is steeped in time-honoured techniques that have been passed down through generations.
Cheese making on Gozo dates back over a thousand years, with deep roots in the island’s Arabic heritage. The knowledge and skills needed to create ġbejniet have survived centuries, enduring not only through formal learning but, more importantly, through observation, repetition, and familial pride.
Ġbejniet come in several varieties — fresh (friski), air-dried (moxxi), or peppered (tal-bżar) — and each has its own distinct texture and flavour. Fresh ġbejna is creamy, delicate, and slightly tangy, while dried versions become firmer and more intense in flavour, with the peppered kind offering a satisfying kick. In Gozitan kitchens, ġbejna is more than just a table cheese — it’s a versatile ingredient used in beloved dishes like ravjul (Gozitan ravioli filled with soft ġbejna and herbs), traditional pies, and qassatat. Whether crumbled into a salad, baked into pastries, or served simply with crusty bread and local olive oil, ġbejna remains at the heart of many home-cooked meals.
Today, young farmers are carrying the torch forward. They are not only committed to preserving traditional methods of cheese production but are also passionate about honouring the land that makes it all possible. Their connection to the earth and its rhythms is something inherited from generations past — from mothers and grandmothers who, like many Gozitan women of their time, grew up tending animals, collecting fresh milk, and forming ġbejniet with skilled, loving hands. For these young artisans, it’s more than a livelihood — it’s a way of life.
At Taste of Gozo Tours, we celebrate these living traditions. Our food experiences connect guests to local farmers, offering the chance to see the process up close, ask questions, taste freshly made ġbejniet, and truly understand the heart of Gozitan food heritage.
If you’ve ever tasted a ġbejna fresh from the mould, sun-dried on a Gozitan rooftop, you know that it is more than just cheese. It is a bite of history, of family, of land and sea. It is the story of Gozo — one small cheeslet at a time.
Interested in learning more about Gozo’s rich culinary traditions? Join our walking food tours in Victoria or our seasonal farm-to-table experiences. From salt harvesting to cheesemaking, every bite tells a story.
