Greek Recipe for Fried Feta in Filo

We have a ton of clients visiting Chefs Katerina and Dora during our Greek Cooking Odyssey this month. Poros Island is a beautiful destination, and home to our best-selling Greek cooking vacation.

And of course, being in Greece it is also home to amazing Greek dishes! From the fresh fish to the savory stews, the plethora of fresh produce to the tangy cheeses and yogurts, Greek food is one of our favorite things.

Feta cheese is one of Greece’s signature ingredients. Traditional feta incorporates a mixture of goat’s milk and sheep’s milk, but you can find cow’s milk feta and pure sheep’s milk and goat’s milk feta as well. Feta is a tangy, crumbly cheese formed into blocks and preserved in brine. Although you can often buy it crumbled, for this recipe you will need blocks of feta.

Another traditional Greek ingredient is filo pastry. This thin, unleavened pastry comes in sheets. It is used in a variety of famous sweet and savory preparations such as baklava and spanakopita. If you want to make your own, go for it, but we use pre-made filo sold in the freezer section of the grocery store.

The final key ingredient of Katerina’s fried feta recipe is honey. Another classic Greek ingredient, the honey pairs perfectly with the tangy cheese.

Of course, the best way to make this recipe is on a cooking vacation in Greece!

Greek Fried Feta in Filo

Serves: 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Cook method: Fry

Ingredients:

• 4 sheets of filo, thawed
• 4 blocks of feta cheese (about 4″ x 4″ x 1″)
• Olive oil for frying
• Honey (preferably Greek)
• Sesame seeds or chopped nuts to garnish (optional)

Preparation:

1. Take one sheet of filo and place it flat on your work surface.

2. Pat dry the filo and place on block on the center of the filo. Carefully fold the filo over the feta until you have a parcel.

3. Repeat with the other blocks.

4. Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet to medium high. Be careful not to let the oil smoke (which will happen quickly if you are not careful).

5. Fry the parcels in the pan, approximately 1 minute on each side.

6. Drain the parcels on paper towels.

7. Serve one parcel per person, drizzled with honey and, if you like, sprinkled with sesame seeds or a bit of crushed walnuts.

By Peg Kern

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