Randy Chandler
Halloumi is a semi-hard, semi-soft, salty cheese with a stretchy, rubbery, squeaky texture. It is white and layered, similar to mozzarella, and is traditionally made from goat's and/or sheep's milk, although cow's milk is sometimes used. It is a Middle Eastern cheese that originated in Cyprus and is now popular around the world. It has a high melting point, which means it can be grilled or fried without melting, making it a popular meat substitute. It is sold in compact bricks and vacuum-packed in plastic, similar to feta cheese.
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What You'll Learn
Halloumi's colour and texture
Halloumi is a semi-hard, semi-soft, or firm white cheese with a layered structure. It is sold in compact bricks, similar to feta cheese. It has a high melting point, which means it can be grilled or fried without melting, making it an excellent meat substitute. When cooked, halloumi develops a crispy exterior and a soft, gooey, or melted inside. It is described as having a tangy, salty, or savoury flavour and a distinctive, squeaky texture.
The texture and colour of halloumi are influenced by its production process. The first step involves coagulating the milk by stirring in rennet, which causes the milk to curdle and separate into curds and whey. The curds are then cut, reheated, and stirred to increase their firmness. The cooked curds are then poached or boiled in hot whey, which gives halloumi its resistance to melting. This step is crucial in determining the cheese's characteristic texture.
The cheese curds are then removed from the whey and salted, sometimes with the addition of fresh or dried mint leaves. They are then folded and stored in salted whey for 1–3 days before being packed and sold. This initial production process results in fresh halloumi, which has a semi-hard, elastic texture and a mild, slightly salty flavour.
To make mature halloumi, the cheese is stored in brine whey for at least 40 days, which gives it a harder, drier texture and a saltier taste. The ageing process in brine also contributes to the cheese's distinctive flavour and texture.
Halloumi is traditionally made with a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk, although commercial varieties may also use cow's milk. The milk may be pasteurised or unpasteurised. The unique processing method of halloumi, particularly the second heating step, gives it its characteristic texture and high melting point.
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How to cook halloumi
Halloumi is a semi-hard, salty cheese, traditionally made from goat or sheep’s milk or a combination of both. It has a high melting point, making it perfect for grilling or frying.
Step 1: Prepare the Halloumi
If you are grilling the halloumi, cut it into 1/2-inch-thick slices. If you are frying it, cut it into 1/2-inch-wide sticks. Blot the halloumi slices with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Step 2: Prepare the Pan
If you are grilling the halloumi, preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat. If you are frying the halloumi, heat a little olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
Step 3: Cook the Halloumi
If you are grilling the halloumi, rub both sides with olive oil and place on the hot grill. Reduce the heat to medium and grill each side for 2 to 3 minutes, or until grill marks form. If you are frying the halloumi, place the sticks in a single layer in the pan and cook each side for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
Step 4: Serve the Halloumi
Halloumi can be served in many ways. It can be sliced and served with a baguette, fresh herbs, and a sauce for drizzling, such as honey or balsamic vinegar. It can also be used in place of mozzarella in a Caprese salad or sandwich. Halloumi can also be served with watermelon, as is traditional in Cyprus.
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Halloumi's saltiness
Halloumi is a salty cheese. It is often described as having a "squeaky" texture, and this is due in part to the fact that it is packed in brine, which makes it very salty. The saltiness of Halloumi is so prominent that it is often recommended that the cheese not be salted during cooking. When cooked, the saltiness of Halloumi fades to be replaced by a strong, savoury flavour.
The saltiness of Halloumi is an important part of its character, and it is one of the factors that make Halloumi so popular. However, if the cheese is too salty, it can be soaked in cold water for up to 24 hours to reduce the saltiness. Soaking in this way will make the cheese taste milder and sweeter, without affecting its texture.
The saltiness of Halloumi is largely due to the way it is made. Halloumi is made from a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk, and sometimes also cow's milk. Rennet (usually vegetarian) is used to curdle the milk, and the curds are then cut and reheated. The curds are then boiled in hot whey, which is the most crucial step in the production of Halloumi, as it gives the cheese its texture. The cooked pieces are then removed from the whey, salted, and garnished with mint leaves. They are then stored in salted whey for up to three days before being sold.
To make mature Halloumi, the cheese is kept in brine whey for at least 40 days. This brining process makes the cheese harder and drier, and it also increases its saltiness. The brining process is an important part of Halloumi production, as it helps to preserve the cheese and gives it a longer shelf life.
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Halloumi's milk sources
Halloumi is a traditional cheese that originated in the Eastern Mediterranean, specifically Cyprus, and has a history dating back to the Byzantine period, around the 4th century AD. It is made from a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk, and sometimes cow's milk.
Traditionally, Cypriot halloumi was made from sheep and/or goat's milk, as cows were not common on the island until they were brought over by the British in the 20th century. However, as demand for halloumi grew, industrial cheese-makers began using more cow's milk, as it is cheaper and more plentiful. The ratio of milk used in traditional halloumi varies according to seasonal availability but generally includes at least 70% goat's milk and 30% ewe's milk.
The use of cow's milk in halloumi production is a contentious issue. The inclusion of cows' milk and the proportion of its use in halloumi delayed the cheese's PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) protection. This protection is now in place within the EU, meaning only products made in Cyprus can be called halloumi.
The type of milk used in halloumi production impacts the cheese's texture and flavour. The rich fatty composition of ewe's milk seeps out of the cheese when heated and forms a crispy golden crust, while goat's milk ensures a firm texture and definitive lingering flavours. Cow's milk halloumi has a moist, rubbery texture and a mild, milky flavour with a salty aftertaste.
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Halloumi's history
Halloumi is a semi-hard, white, layered cheese with a slightly spongy texture, traditionally made from goat's and/or sheep's milk, or a mixture of the two. It is a Cypriot cheese that originated in the Eastern Mediterranean and has been produced in Cyprus since ancient times.
The first reference to halloumi was written in a document by Doge Leonardo Donna in 1556, during the Venetian occupation. However, the question of whether the recipe for halloumi was born in Cyprus and then travelled to Lebanon and the rest of the Levant, or whether the techniques for making cheese that resists melting evolved over time in various parts of the Eastern Mediterranean, remains unanswered. In the 16th century, Italian visitors to Cyprus recorded the earliest known surviving descriptions of halloumi, which is often said to have originated there. In 1563, Elias of Pesaro mentioned in a letter that local cheese was made from a mixture of sheep's, goat's, and cow's milk.
In 1738, the writer and traveller Richard Pococke described halloumi as "famous all over the Levant", and in 1788, Archimandrite Kyprianos referred to "slices of delicious cheese" produced from sheep's and goat's milk. By the beginning of the 19th century, halloumi was the most famous cheese produced in Cyprus, and it became so important that several families had surnames related to the cheese.
Halloumi is typically made from fresh, unpasteurized sheep and/or goat's milk, but commercial production may use pasteurized milk and include cow's milk, which is cheaper and more plentiful. The cheese is produced by coagulating the milk to make curds, which are then cut, reheated, stirred, and pressed into moulds. The pressed curds are then boiled in hot whey, salted, and garnished with mint leaves. For mature halloumi, the cheese is stored in brine for at least 40 days, giving it a harder, drier texture and a saltier flavour.
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Frequently asked questions
Halloumi is a semi-hard, semi-soft, white cheese with a layered texture similar to mozzarella. It is sold in compact bricks and vacuum-packed in plastic, similar to feta cheese.
Fresh halloumi has a semi-hard, elastic texture and a milder, less salty flavour compared to the aged version. It is white and layered, similar to mozzarella.
Mature halloumi has a harder, drier texture and a saltier flavour. It is also white and layered, but the ageing process gives it a different texture and taste.
