Frederic Melton
Feta is a Greek speciality and is considered one of the oldest cheeses in the world. It is a soft, crumbly, white cheese with a tangy and salty flavour. Feta is traditionally made with sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk, although outside of Greece, it is more commonly made with cow's milk. The cheese is formed into square blocks and cured in a salty brine, which gives it its distinctive flavour. Feta is a very versatile cheese and can be used in a variety of dishes, from salads to pastries, sandwiches and omelettes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Milk | Sheep, Goat, Cow |
| Texture | Soft, Crumbly, Grainy |
| Colour | White |
| Taste | Tangy, Salty |
| Hardness | Soft to Semi-Hard |
| Origin | Greece |
| Recipe | 4.5 gallons of milk, buttermilk culture, Bulgarian Yogurt, water, fine ground salt |
| Aging | In brine for 8 hours to several weeks |
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What You'll Learn
Feta is a Greek speciality
Feta is a soft, crumbly, salty white cheese produced all over Greece from sheep's or goat's milk. In Greece, traditional production methods start with the addition of rennet and casein to pasteurized or raw sheep's milk, goat's milk, or a blend of the two. Once the milk thickens, the curd is separated, pressed into moulds, and drained of excess whey. The curd mass is then cut into smaller pieces to facilitate salt absorption in brining. The cheese is then dried and submerged in brine, where it ages for one week to several months.
Feta is an aged brine curd cheese, which is usually made from ewe's or goat's milk. The European Union has laws dictating how much goat's milk may be mixed with sheep's milk to make feta. To complicate things, the milk must come from the same jurisdiction. Feta accounts for 10% of Greece's exports, and because there are a lot of regulations around the word "feta", the cow's milk version technically shouldn't be called feta.
Feta is considered to be one of the oldest cheeses in the world. It is creamy white in colour with small holes and a crumbly texture. It normally comes in square cakes with no rind, but one can also find pre-crumbled feta packaged in airtight containers without brine and with or without added seasonings. Feta is so popular in Greece that very little gets exported.
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It's one of the oldest cheeses in the world
Feta is one of the oldest cheeses in the world, with its origins closely associated with Crete, present-day Greece. The earliest record of feta cheese dates back to the Byzantine Empire, and it has been a staple in Greek cuisine ever since.
According to Greek mythology, the Cyclops Polyfimos was the first to prepare feta cheese, and artifacts from the 6th century BC in the museum of Delphi also reference the process of feta cheese-making. The word "feta" comes from the Italian word "fetta," meaning slice, which is derived from the Latin word "offa," meaning bite or morsel.
Feta is traditionally made with sheep's milk and a small amount of goat's milk. The European Union has specific regulations regarding the production of feta, including the percentage of goat's milk that can be mixed with sheep's milk. The milk used must come from the same jurisdiction, and the final product must contain a minimum of 70% sheep's milk.
Feta is a soft, crumbly, white cheese with a salty flavour that intensifies with age. It is typically cured in a salty brine, which gives it its distinctive tangy taste. The curds are cut into smaller blocks, salted, and dried before being submerged in brine to age for at least one week.
Feta's versatility in both cooked and uncooked dishes has made it a popular cheese worldwide, and it is now produced in many countries, including Australia, Denmark, Germany, and the United States. However, due to its traditional production methods and the high demand for it in Greece, finding authentic feta outside of Greece can be challenging and expensive.
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It's made from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep and goat's milk
Feta is a soft, crumbly, white cheese with a tangy and salty flavour. It is usually formed into square blocks and can range from soft to semi-hard in texture. It is one of the oldest cheeses in the world, with the earliest records of its existence dating back to the Byzantine Empire. Feta is closely associated with Crete in Greece, and the word "feta" comes from the Italian word "fetta", meaning "slice".
Feta is typically made from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk. In Greece, traditional production methods involve adding rennet and casein to pasteurized or raw sheep's milk, goat's milk, or a blend of the two. This mixture is then thickened, and the curd is separated and pressed into moulds. The curd is then cut into smaller blocks, salted, and dried for two days before being submerged in brine to age for one week to several months. The longer the cheese is aged, the sharper and saltier the flavour becomes.
Raw goat's and sheep's milk contain higher levels of an enzyme called lipase, which binds to fat globules and facilitates the release of amino acids. This higher concentration of lipase results in a stronger-tasting cheese and gives feta its characteristic tang.
To make feta at home, one would start by preparing a brine solution by mixing water, sea salt, calcium chloride, and white vinegar. This solution is then set aside while the milk is prepared. The milk is heated and thickened, and once the curds have formed, they are carefully scooped out and drained through a cloth-lined colander. The curds are then gently scooped into forms or moulds and flipped periodically to ensure even drainage. Once the cheese is firm, it is submerged in the brine solution and allowed to soak for at least eight hours up to several weeks, depending on the desired flavour profile.
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It's cured in a salty brine
Feta is cured in a salty brine, a process that has been used since the Byzantine Empire. In Greece, feta is traditionally made with sheep's milk or a combination of sheep's and goat's milk. After the milk has thickened, the curd is separated, pressed into moulds, and drained of excess whey. The feta is then cut into smaller blocks, salted, and dried for two days.
The blocks are then submerged in a brine solution for anywhere from one week to several months. The brine is made by adding salt to water. The amount of salt added depends on the volume of water used. For example, a brine solution can be made by adding 2.5 lbs of non-iodized salt to 1/2 gallon of water, and then topping up to 1 gallon with water. It is important to ensure that the salt has no additives. Salts are often sold with anti-clumping agents and iodine, so it is important to check the ingredient list and ensure that it only contains salt.
The brining process is an important step in the curing of feta cheese. During this time, the feta absorbs salt, which influences its flavour and texture. The longer the feta is left in the brine, the sharper and saltier its flavour will become, and the firmer its texture will be.
Feta can be aged in a regular refrigerator, making it a great starter cheese for those new to cheesemaking.
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It's crumbly, salty, and white in colour
Feta is a crumbly, salty, white cheese. It is produced all over Greece and is considered to be one of the oldest cheeses in the world. The earliest record of feta cheese dates back to the Byzantine Empire, and it has been closely associated with Crete, in present-day Greece.
Feta is traditionally made with sheep's milk or a combination of sheep's milk and a small amount of goat's milk. The European Union has laws dictating how much goat's milk may be mixed with sheep's milk to make feta, and the milk must come from the same jurisdiction. In Greece, traditional production methods start with the addition of rennet and casein to pasteurized or raw sheep's milk, goat's milk, or a blend of the two. Once the milk thickens, the curd is separated, pressed into moulds, and drained of excess whey.
The curd mass is then cut into smaller pieces to facilitate salt absorption in brining. The feta is then salted and dried for two days before being submerged in brine, where it ages for one week to several months. The longer the feta ages, the sharper and saltier its flavour becomes.
Feta is usually formed into square-shaped blocks and has a crumbly, grainy consistency. It is white in colour, with a tangy and salty flavour, and a hardness that can range from soft to semi-hard.
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Frequently asked questions
Feta is a Greek brined white cheese made from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. It is soft, crumbly, and has a tangy and salty flavour.
Feta is traditionally made from sheep's milk, which can be blended with up to 30% goat's milk. Modern feta-style cheeses are often made with cow's milk, which produces a milder flavour.
Feta is formed into square blocks and cured in a salty brine, which gives it its sharp, salty flavour. The cheese is then aged in a refrigerator.
Feta has a tangy, salty, and mildly sour flavour, with a creamy texture. It is often described as having a spicy finish, with notes of pepper and ginger.
