Kalliopi's KitchenYIAYIA'S GREEK FOOD RECIPES

Dairy and Cheese

Feta

Φέτα · Feta

A block of Greek feta cheese in brine

Feta has held Protected Designation of Origin status within the European Union since 2002, meaning that legally, only cheese made in specific regions of Greece, from at least 70 percent sheep's milk with the remainder goat's milk, can be sold under the name within the EU. Cow's milk feta-style cheeses exist elsewhere but are, by this legal standard, a different product wearing a borrowed name.

It is brined rather than aged in the way a hard cheese like kefalotyri is, kept in barrels or tins of salted whey or brine that both preserves it and keeps its texture crumbly and moist rather than dense. That brine is not incidental packaging: feta stored dry dries out and turns unpleasantly chalky within days, so a block should stay submerged in liquid, its own or a fresh batch of lightly salted water, right up until it is used.

It appears in more Greek dishes than any other single ingredient, crumbled over a horiatiki salad, baked into spanakopita and tiropita, whipped into tirokafteri, and simply served in a slab with olive oil and oregano as its own meze. Quality varies enormously between brands, and a firmer, tangier, well-aged feta is worth seeking out over a soft, bland, mass-produced one.

Photo: Greek feta.jpg by Jon Sullivan, Public domain.

Recipes with feta

33 recipes on the site using it.

A Greek village salad with tomato wedges, cucumber, red onion and a whole slab of feta topped with oregano Greek SaladsGreek Salad Χωριάτικη σαλάτα · 12m · serves 4 A tray of spanakopita cut into squares showing green spinach filling under crisp golden phyllo Greek Breads and PiesGreek Spanakopita Σπανακόπιτα · 1h 30m · serves 8 A barley rusk topped with grated tomato, crumbled white cheese, olives and oregano Greek SaladsCretan Dakos Ντάκος · 12m · serves 4 A square of Greek cheese pie with crisp layered phyllo and a pale creamy filling Greek Breads and PiesTiropita Τυρόπιτα · 1h 15m · serves 8 Prawns baked in tomato sauce with melting feta and parsley in a small pan Greek Main CoursesGarides Saganaki Γαρίδες σαγανάκι · 37m · serves 4 Greek scrambled eggs with tomato and crumbled feta in a pan with bread Greek Breakfast RecipesStrapatsada Στραπατσάδα · 23m · serves 3 Golden Greek courgette fritters piled on a plate with tzatziki and lemon Greek Meze and AppetisersKolokithokeftedes Κολοκυθοκεφτέδες · 55m · serves 6 A bowl of Greek tirokafteri spicy whipped feta dip with roasted pepper Greek Dips and SaucesTirokafteri Τυροκαυτερή · 10m · serves 6 A Greek bifteki patty cut open showing melted feta inside Greek Main CoursesBifteki Μπιφτέκι · 40m · serves 4 Greek Meze and AppetisersPiperies Florinis Gemistes Πιπεριές Φλωρίνης γεμιστές · 55m · serves 6 Greek Breads and PiesKolokithopita Epirus Κολοκυθόπιτα Ηπείρου · 1h 55m · serves 8 A Pontic Greek peinirli boat-shaped cheese bread fresh from the oven Greek Breads and PiesPeinirli Πεϊνιρλί · 2h · serves 4 Santorini ntomatokeftedes tomato fritters, golden and crisp Greek Meze and AppetisersNtomatokeftedes Santorinis Ντοματοκεφτέδες Σαντορίνης · 40m · serves 6 Greek Breads and PiesKalasouna Naxou Καλαθούνα Νάξου · 1h 15m · serves 6 A bowl of Mykonos kopanisti spicy whipped cheese Greek Dips and SaucesKopanisti Mykonou Κοπανιστή Μυκόνου · 15m · serves 8 Greek DessertsKatimeria Kalymnou Κατιμέρια Καλύμνου · 1h 15m · serves 8 Greek melitzanes me feta baked aubergine with tomato and melted feta Greek Main CoursesMelitzanes me Feta Μελιτζάνες με φέτα · 1h 5m · serves 4 Greek SaladsKolokithosalata Κολοκυθοσαλάτα · 15m · serves 4 A slice of Epirus tyropita cheese pie showing a thick custardy filling Greek Breads and PiesTyropita Epirus Τυρόπιτα Ηπείρου · 1h 45m · serves 8 A slice of Greek prasopita leek and feta pie showing layered phyllo Greek Breads and PiesPrasopita Πρασόπιτα · 1h 30m · serves 8 A tray of golden Greek tiropitakia trigona cheese triangle pastries Greek Meze and AppetisersTiropitakia Trigona Τυροπιτάκια τρίγωνα · 1h 10m · serves 8 A slice of Greek spanakotyropita spinach and cheese pie Greek Breads and PiesSpanakotyropita Σπανακοτυρόπιτα · 1h 25m · serves 8 A slice of Greek hortopita wild greens pie Greek Breads and PiesHortopita Χορτόπιτα · 1h 25m · serves 8 A slice of Greek melitzanopita aubergine and feta phyllo pie Greek Breads and PiesMelitzanopita Μελιτζανόπιτα · 1h 35m · serves 8 A bowl of Greek kritharosalata orzo pasta salad with tomato, feta and olives Greek SaladsKritharosalata Κριθαρόσαλατα · 32m · serves 6 Greek Meze and AppetisersFeta Psiti me Meli Φέτα ψητή με μέλι · 17m · serves 4 Greek kolokithoanthoi gemisti stuffed courgette flowers Greek Meze and AppetisersKolokithoanthoi Gemisti Κολοκυθοανθοί γεμιστοί · 1h 10m · serves 6 Greek Meze and AppetisersPougia Karpathou Πουγιά Καρπάθου · 1h 10m · serves 8 Greek Main CoursesExohiko Εξοχικό · 1h 40m · serves 4 Golden fried Greek patatokeftedes potato fritters Greek Side DishesPatatokeftedes Πατατοκεφτέδες · 50m · serves 6 Greek Meze and AppetisersMydia Saganaki Μύδια σαγανάκι · 40m · serves 4 Greek Breakfast RecipesXinohondros Ξινόχοντρος · 4h 20m · serves 8 Greek Meze and AppetisersFeta Psiti me Ntomata Φέτα ψητή με ντομάτα · 35m · serves 4

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