Cheese with Garlic Sauce

The dish known as Cheese with Garlic Sauce is a rustic Portuguese starter, prominently featured at O Morro in Castelo Branco, as highlighted by the creator Sentieri Golosi. Its origins lie in the country’s pastoral traditions, where fresh sheep’s or goat’s cheese is gently heated until soft and then drizzled with a pungent garlic-infused olive oil sauce. Key ingredients include a mild, slightly tangy curd cheese (often queijo de cabra or queijo de ovelha), extra‑virgin olive oil, fresh minced garlic, and sometimes smoked paprika or fresh herbs like oregano. What distinguishes a great version is the balance between the creamy, milky cheese and the bold, aromatic sauce; the cheese should be warmed just enough to become spoonably soft but not fully melted, and the garlic must be raw or barely cooked to retain its bite without overpowering. The sauce is typically finished with coarse salt and a splash of vinegar or lemon juice for acidity. Regional variations appear across central and southern Portugal: in the Alentejo, the dish may be baked in a clay pot with a crust of breadcrumbs, while in the Beira region (which includes Castelo Branco) the cheese is often served in its own small terracotta dish with the garlic sauce on the side. Some versions incorporate piri piri for heat or cured chorizo bits. At O Morro, the dish is prepared in the traditional manner, emphasizing local sheep’s cheese and a simple, potent garlic sauce that lets the dairy shine. It is typically eaten with crusty bread for dipping, making it a beloved tasca staple across the country.