Frederic Melton
In early 2021, Finland experienced a shortage of feta cheese. This was due to a viral TikTok trend that involved baking a block of feta with cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then mixing it with cooked pasta. The dish, known as uunifetapasta in Finland, was first shared by Finnish food blogger Jenni Häyrinen in 2019 and resurfaced on TikTok in 2021, causing a surge in demand for feta cheese. The trend led to grocery stores in Finland and other parts of the world running out of feta cheese as people rushed to recreate the popular recipe.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for shortage | A viral TikTok pasta recipe that uses feta |
| Country | Finland |
| Date | February 2021 |
| Recipe | Bake cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper with a block of feta cheese. Mix with fresh basil and cooked pasta. |
| Substitutes | Crumbled feta, goat cheese, or other semi-firm cheeses |
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What You'll Learn
A viral TikTok recipe
TikTok has been the source of many food trends, but one particular pasta hack has gained so much attention that it caused Finland to run out of feta cheese! The recipe, called "Uunifetapasta" by its Finnish food blogger inventor Jenni Häyrinen, first appeared on Instagram in 2019. It soon went viral in Finland, and when it resurfaced on TikTok, it quickly spread to the rest of the world.
The recipe is simple: add cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a baking pan, then place a block of feta cheese in the middle. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes, or 20 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius. When it's done, mix in fresh basil and cooked pasta. The feta cheese melts into a creamy, salty, tangy sauce that coats the pasta. It's a unique take on pasta sauce, as usually, feta is only used in cold pasta dishes like Greek pasta salad.
The key to getting that perfect, creamy consistency is to use a whole block of feta cheese. The crumbles can work in a pinch, but block feta usually has more moisture and undergoes less processing. The reality is that you're baking a sauce without using a stovetop, relying on the thick texture and consistency of melted cheese. Some people have also substituted the feta for other cheeses like goat cheese, which holds up well to baking while remaining creamy.
The recipe is very versatile, and you can add different spices or substitute the tomatoes with butternut squash or red peppers. You can also add chicken to make it more of a dinner dish. Some people have even created vegan versions!
So, is it worth the hype? You'll have to try it yourself and see! But be warned, you might have to visit a few stores to find that block of feta cheese.
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Finnish food blogger Jenni Häyrinen
Häyrinen's recipe quickly went viral in Finland, with local supermarkets selling out of feta cheese. The popularity of the dish can be attributed to its simplicity and flavourfulness, as well as the creamy, salty, tangy sauce that is created without the need for additional cream, roux, or cheese. The recipe also gained traction due to its customizability, with some chefs adding different spices or substituting tomatoes with butternut squash or red peppers.
In early 2021, the recipe resurfaced on TikTok, with prominent chefs like MacKenzie Smith sharing their own renditions of the meal on social media platforms. This led to a resurgence in the dish's popularity, causing a feta cheese shortage in Finland once again and even leading to low stock in American grocery stores.
Häyrinen's original recipe video has been viewed more than 2.7 million times, and the #uunifetapasta hashtag was awarded the phenomenon of the year in 2019 in Finland. The popularity of the dish has sparked interest in feta cheese worldwide, with searches for the ingredient rising exponentially.
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Feta's unique properties
Feta cheese is a Greek brined white cheese made from sheep milk or a mixture of sheep and goat milk. It is soft, crumbly, and grainy, with a tangy and salty flavour. Feta is a staple in Mediterranean cuisine and has been a part of Greek culture for thousands of years. Its roots trace back to ancient times, with references found in Homer's "Odyssey". The name "feta" comes from the Italian word "fetta", meaning "slice", which refers to the way the cheese is often cut.
Feta is produced using only whole sheep milk or a blend of sheep and goat milk, with a maximum of 30% goat milk. After the dry-salting of the cheese, it is aged or matured in brine (a 7% salt-in-water solution) for several weeks at room temperature and a further minimum of 2 months in a refrigerated high-humidity environment. Feta dries relatively quickly even when refrigerated. If stored for longer than a week, it should be kept in brine or lightly salted milk.
Feta is a versatile cheese used in various dishes, including salads, pastries, sandwiches, and omelettes. It can be baked, grilled, or served cooked in other ways. Feta is also a nutritional powerhouse, offering an array of health benefits. It contains healthy fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. It is also a source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory and heart-protective properties.
Feta is a good source of protein and calcium, with lower fat content compared to other cheeses. It contains antioxidants such as vitamin E and selenium, which help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, thereby reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Feta is also a fermented cheese, containing live probiotics that support digestive health by maintaining a healthy balance of gut microbiota.
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Grocery stores run out of feta
Grocery stores in Finland ran out of feta cheese due to a viral pasta dish on TikTok. Finnish food blogger Jenni Häyrinen first shared the recipe, which she called "Uunifetapasta", on Instagram in 2019. It was an immediate hit in Finland, with Finnish grocery stores reportedly running out of feta for a period of time. The dish resurfaced on TikTok when American chef MacKenzie Smith (@grilledcheesesocial) shared her own rendition of the meal on her personal blog, TikTok, and Instagram. Several other chefs with prominent followings then tested out the recipe, and some of the most popular feta pasta videos garnered over a million views.
The recipe is simple: add cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a baking pan, then place a block of feta cheese in the middle. Bake the dish at 400 degrees for 35 minutes, then mix in fresh basil and cooked pasta. The secret to getting that perfect, creamy consistency is to use a whole block of feta cheese. The crumbles are good but block feta usually has more moisture and undergoes less processing. The block itself also holds up very well to heat without melting down into a gooey pile.
However, if your nearby store is all out of feta blocks, Smith wrote that crumbled cheese works but doesn't melt as well. In another TikTok, she added that goat cheese would also "hold up to baking while still remaining creamy." As Finland found out, this pasta dish has the potential to revolutionize the way we normally think about pasta and sauce.
The feta shortage in Finland is a testament to how good this pasta dish actually is. It is also a testament to the influence of TikTok, as the app has helped to popularize everything from food trends to beauty trends. When a TikTok goes viral, its reach knows no bounds.
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Feta pasta variations
Feta cheese pasta, a viral TikTok recipe, is so popular that it once led to a shortage of feta cheese in Finland. The original recipe includes baking cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper with a block of feta cheese, which is then mixed with cooked pasta and fresh basil.
Baked Feta Mushroom Pasta
Food blogger Cooking With Ayeh shared a video of herself making the viral pasta with mushrooms instead of tomatoes.
Boursin Cheese
Some people who could not find feta cheese in stores due to the shortage began using Boursin, a soft, creamy packaged cheese. It melts and mixes well with the pasta and already includes garlic and herbs.
Spinach-Artichoke Dip
Melvina Budiono used a grocery store spinach-artichoke dip instead of feta cheese in her baked pasta.
Burrata Cheese
TV host Ereka Vetrini used creamy burrata cheese instead of feta and asparagus and delicata squash instead of tomatoes. She also recommends warming the burrata in water before mixing it in and adding extra salt to make up for the reduced saltiness of the cheese.
Goat Cheese
Some people have replaced feta with goat cheese, which holds up well to baking while remaining creamy. Singer Lizzo, who eats vegan, used a goat cheese-style alternative made from sunflower seeds and coconut oil.
Brie Cheese
For those who do not like feta, brie cheese can be used instead, as in a baked brie pasta.
Other Variations
The viral feta pasta recipe can be customised by adding different vegetables, spices, or proteins. Some people have added quartered shallots, rosemary, chilli flakes, honey, or extra herbs. The tomatoes can be substituted with butternut squash or red peppers, and the pasta can be swapped for gluten-free or vegetable-based pasta.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Finland experienced a feta cheese shortage in 2021 due to a viral TikTok pasta recipe that used feta as a crucial ingredient.
The recipe involves baking a block of feta with cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. This mixture is then combined with cooked pasta and fresh basil.
While feta is the best option due to its texture and flavour, other types of cheese such as goat cheese, cotija, or halloumi can be used as substitutes.
