Cheese Feta: features of the product and the subtleties of its use

The homeland of the most delicious and, perhaps, one of the most famous feta cheeses is sunny Greece. And the literal translation of the name means "chunk" or "piece." The legendary and delicious cheese appeared in ancient times. And today it is popular not only in the countries of the Mediterranean, but also in our country. It is an indispensable ingredient for making well-known Greek salad. But feta is also used in the preparation of breakfasts, main courses and even desserts. And all thanks to its unique beneficial properties and unique taste, which can not be abandoned.

Feta cheese is based exclusively on goat or sheep milk. In an ideal recipe, both types of milk are used, but it is possible to use only goat milk, since to buy goat in the store is not an easy task. The recipe for cooking Greek cheese is quite laborious, but in the age of modern technology and new products, any housewife in her own kitchen can cook homemade feta. Feta is crumbly white, but at the same time dense in texture and light salty taste. Having tried once - many people fall in love with him.

It is believed that the best cheese can be tasted only in Greece, although feta is prepared according to unique recipes in Bulgaria, Slovakia, Turkey and the Balkans. But a true gourmet can always determine the authentic taste of Greek cheese. And it should be understood that similar in name to Fetax and Phytica are made from cow's milk and have nothing in common with real feta cheese.

To date, feta is sold in vacuum-packed non-brine vacuum on the shelves of the store. But in Greece, this method of cooking and selling is considered unacceptable. You can be sure - in this case, you have a usual cheese or cottage cheese product. The Greeks sell cheese exclusively from barrels filled with brine and delicious chunks of tender and fragrant snow-white cheese. Therefore, pay attention to the packaging, if the feta is sold without a pickle, or has an unusual consonant name, then this is not real Greek cheese.

Feta goes well with vegetables and greens, and can also be used to prepare main dishes and sandwiches, despite the fact that it belongs to the category of pickled cheeses and is not cut into thin slices, and even more so it can not be spread on bread like regular curd cheese. But most often still used in the preparation of salads and snacks.

The shelf life is very large - in a closed opaque sealed container with saline solution can be stored for about 14 days. To increase the shelf life, you can generously pour a slice of feta with olive oil, then the taste will become more saturated and less salty.

The taste of Greek feta cheese is balanced, nutritious and slightly savory. A good quality product should not be bitter. And due to the fact that it matures and is stored in brine for a long time, the finished product has a salty taste and a crumbly structure. This is a delicious and healthy cheese that goes well with vegetables and fruits, meat and poultry, bread and spicy greens, which allows you to significantly diversify the diet.

Soft cottage cheese feta is a bit like cheese to taste. The technology of production and storage of products is similar. But feta has a softer and more saturated taste. And this is explained by the longstanding cooking traditions that have been observed for many centuries and passed down from generation to generation. What seems to be the recipe for the most delicious feta cheese remains with the Greeks at the level of genetic memory.

In general, you can even say that ready-made Greek feta cheese is a bit like marinated cottage cheese of dense texture. And such a salty taste is advantageously combined with dry wine, fresh fragrant bread, sweet grapes, pear and fresh fragrant greens: oregano, rosemary, basil, etc.

Greek feta cheese has a light and delicate flavor. And the optimal combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is considered a universal set. But they make feta on the basis of natural goat or sheep's milk, which causes the fat content of the finished product to increase. It is believed that more spicy and sharp cheese is made from sheep's milk, and soft and soft from goat milk.

The original feta cheese has a fat content of 45-50%, and most of them are saturated healthy fats. But cheese also contains large amounts of calcium, protein, iron, phosphorus and sodium.

Real Greek feta cheese contains:

• water - about half the weight of the cheese is water;
• protein - about 15 g;
• saturated fats;
• vitamins A, B, D and K;
• mineral substances: zinc, calcium, iron, sodium, manganese and phosphorus.

Per 100 grams of the finished product goes about 270-290 calories. And it means you can eat the product at any time of the day, without worrying that an extra piece will affect the fat deposits. The Greeks eat feta for breakfast with scrambled eggs, as a snack with bread and vegetables, and also used in the preparation of main dishes and desserts.

The main value lies in the fact that feta is an environmentally friendly and natural product.

It also has many useful properties:

• The main advantage of Greek feta cheese over others is its high calcium content, which helps strengthen bones and teeth at any age.
• Products from sheep's milk is very useful to add to the diet of pregnant and young mothers when breastfeeding. A large amount of calcium and protein has a positive effect on both the health of the mother, and small crumbs.
• The finished product contains the optimal amount of beneficial bacteria - about 45% of lactobacilli, which are easily absorbed by the body and contribute to the normalization of the intestinal tract.
• It improves the functioning of the thyroid gland - especially important for people living far from the sea coast.
• Suppresses intestinal inflammation, normalizes the liver and prevents the formation of kidney stones.
• Helps reduce stress - normalizes the nervous system, so during insomnia it is recommended to eat a small slice of feta cheese.
• It helps to strengthen the bone tissue and forms the correct development of the skeleton at an early age.
• It slows down the aging process - just pay attention to what the Greeks look like. They are cheerful and calm, and largely due to the antioxidants that are present in the daily diet. Perhaps this is the most positive feedback about the product.

And for good reason the Greeks are a healthy nation. In the diet of each family there are always fresh vegetables, fruits, olive oil and, of course, cheeses. And that’s probably why Greece has a low cancer incidence rate among the population. Therefore, we can safely say that the daily consumption of high-quality and natural goat cheese in moderate amounts helps to reduce the risk of tumor diseases.

Enumerate the beneficial properties of feta cheese can be very long. But despite such an impressive amount of advantages, the product has drawbacks. And one of the most important is high salt content. A small slice of feta 30 gr. may contain daily intake of salt. And the frequent consumption of salt in large quantities can lead to heart load, hypertension and blockage of blood vessels. Therefore, before cooking, it is necessary to put a slice of cheese in a container with clean water or milk for a few minutes.

It is also important to note the contraindications to the use of Greek cheese:

• Heart disease - it is necessary to abandon feta, if you have coronary disease or angina is observed.
• It can aggravate the situation in case of diabetes mellitus type 2 - therefore it is recommended to reduce consumption to a minimum.
• Also, feta cheese is not recommended for use by people with lactose intolerance and a predisposition to obesity.

The technology of making feta cheese at home is quite simple. and make it without any problems under the power of each hostess. And the main advantages of homemade cheese is confidence in the quality of the finished and cost-effective. Imported real Greek feta cheese on the shelves of shops has a very high price.

At the heart of feta, exclusively sheep or goat milk is used, which is heated over low heat until clotting. It is important to choose goat or sheep milk for making homemade feta. Let's be frank, using cow's milk, you get the usual cheese cheese product, but not the Greek feta cheese.

Put the saucepan on a slow fire, and when the milk is divided into serum and a dense mass, drain the liquid and transfer the mass to rag bags. Ideally, linen bags should be used, but they can be replaced with clean gauze, which must be folded in several layers. In such bags, the curd is suspended above the sink for the natural removal of excess fluid.

After a couple of days, you need to put the curd mass in a container and sprinkle with large sea salt or pour it with saline solution, and then put it in the refrigerator. In ancient times, the Greeks used brine from sea water. The term of preparation under the press can take from 2 weeks to 2 months. Before use, a small piece of cheese can be flavored with fragrant olive oil. And feel free to serve.

Feta cheese is used in the preparation of various dishes, from snacks to delicious desserts. The most popular recipe is, of course, the well-known Greek salad.

To prepare you will need:

• red tomatoes;
• cucumbers;
• fresh Bulgarian pepper;
• red onion;
• olives;
• lettuce, cilantro, basil and other herbs to taste.

Place lettuce on the bottom of a deep bowl and fresh vegetables, cut into large pieces, on top. Slices of feta break in your hands into several pieces and put in a bowl. Herbs should also be shredded. Add olives, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, spices and generously season with olive oil.

Feta cheese goes well with not only fresh vegetables and herbs, but also with fruit. Delicious and refreshing summer salad with melon and feta cheese can be cooked in just 5 minutes.

To prepare you will need:

• melon;
• sunflower seeds;
• basil leaves;
• olive oil;
• lemon juice;
• ground pepper.

First you need to fry the peeled seeds in a dry frying pan. And then put the cubes of melon, slices of cheese, greens in a deep bowl, add oil, lemon juice and spices. And the final touch - sunflower seeds.This recipe is unique because you can replace melon with slices of soft pear. Such a light and original salad refreshes perfectly in the summer heat and undoubtedly will appeal to your guests.

Feta cheese goes well with meat and poultry. Therefore, it received a special popularity in the preparation of second courses. As a main dish on the festive table, you can cook rolls with turkey and feta cheese.

To prepare you will need:

• turkey fillet;
• garlic;
• tomatoes;
• greens to taste;
• salt pepper.

To begin, prepare turkey fillets. Divide each part of the fillet lengthwise into three parts and repel each part in turn. Then wrap in a slice of feta cheese, finely chopped tomato cubes, chopped garlic, salt, pepper, and then roll them up neatly with a roll and fasten with a toothpick to keep the contents in place. Place the rolls on a baking sheet with parchment paper, brush with olive oil on top and sprinkle with finely chopped greens. Put the form in a preheated oven and cook for 40 minutes at 180 degrees. Before serving, remove the toothpicks from the rolls and serve to the table.

With feta cheese you can make a delicious omelet or scrambled eggs for breakfast in a matter of minutes.

To prepare you will need:

• quail eggs;
• Borodino bread;
• Cherry tomatoes;
• salt;
• butter.

Put a piece of butter on a heated pan and place the pieces of rye bread on the edges. After a couple of minutes, turn over the slices of bread and lay beside, closer to the center, sliced ​​in half cherry tomatoes. Best of all peel down. Carefully break the quail eggs and try not to pour the yolks in the pan, so that they retain their shape. After a couple of minutes, on slices of bread, put thin small pieces of cheese and cover with a lid for a minute. After that, sprinkle with salt. Serve scrambled eggs can be in the hotel plates or directly in the pan - as you wish.

You can also fry large slices of grilled cheese and serve it together with the main course or as a snack.

To make a feta snack, you will need:

• large tomatoes;
• egg;
• flour;
• olive oil;
• salt, pepper and favorite spices to taste.

As thinly as possible, cut the tomatoes into slices and place on a large flat plate and season with salt. Then cook batter from flour and eggs. If there is a few minutes left, then it is better to separate the white from the yolk and whip separately, so the dough will be more lush. Cut the cheese into large slices and dip into the dough, generously grease from all sides. And then dip on a hot frying pan and fry on both sides to give a fragrant crisp. Put the cheese on top of the tomatoes and add flavored ground pepper or paprika. Appetizer served to the table hot.

You can also fry feta cheese without batter and butter in a dry non-stick pan. It doesn't matter if it burns a little, the taste will not get worse and there will be no bitter cheese. At the same time, feta does not spread and does not melt, but retains a dense texture and original shape.

For cooking salad with fried feta cheese you will need:

• spinach leaves, corn salad and chard;
• pine nuts;
• grape oil;
• balsamic;
• liquid honey;
• lemon juice.

Slice the cheese into large pieces and put the grill on a hot frying pan - 30-45 seconds are needed for each side. Mix the greens and place on a large flat plate, place the pieces of fried cheese on top, decorate with pine nuts. For a sweet and sour dressing, mix all the remaining ingredients: lemon juice, honey, balsamic vinegar and grape oil and pour the contents of the plate generously.

There are many options for using feta cheese for cooking various dishes.It is important to understand that the ideal addition to feta cheese are fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs, in particular, basil, oregano, rosemary, lettuce and mint. Therefore, you can safely experiment in the kitchen, armed with a small number of ingredients. For example, you can make a delicious pie with tomatoes, pieces of feta cheese, olives and fresh greens.

Feta cheese is very much like cheese. The original real feta cheese is also stored in brine and also has a long shelf life.

We note the main differences:

• Manufacturer - Real feta cheese can only be made in Greece, so pay attention that the product packaging indicates that it is a cheese, not a cheese product, and the name is feta, not fetax, or something consonant. White cheese is produced in Eastern Europe, most often in Romania. The production of cheese in Russia and the CIS countries has also been established, but the original and invariable taste can only be obtained in Romania.
• Colour - Feta has an even white color, if the surface has a yellow tint or small patches of a different color, then it is better to refuse such a product. White cheese has a yellowish color closer to the milky shade.
• Structure - Feta has a porous structure with small holes, and the cheese on the cut has a perfectly flat and smooth surface.

The texture of this feta cheese is more porous and tender, and has more in common with curd than with cheese. Therefore, in some dishes, feta cheese can be replaced with Adyghe cheese. and if you wish, you can also try Georgian dishes in Suluguni or Italian mozzarella in some dishes. And it is likely that the quality of the dish will only benefit from this.

How to make feta cheese at home, see the following video.