Feta cheese: recipes and tips
Feta is a cheese that finds its origins in ancient Greek history. A traditional, semi-hard but friable cheese. It is white and slightly salty because it is left to ripen in brine. This is a compact cheese with an “intense” flavor,
appreciated by those who love savory tastes. It is produced exclusively with sheep’s milk or alternatively with mixed milk of sheep and goat up to 30%. Feta has varied nutritional characteristics and is used in preparing many recipes. Learn some curiosities: from the origin of its name, historical testimonies and from its appearance in Italy. Keep reading.
FETA: DESCRIPTION AND USES
NUTRITIONAL VALUES
Feta is a cheese that has an average digestibility for its rather high lipid content. However, it has a lower energy input thanks to the big amount of water it contains because it undergoes a dehydration lower than others dairy products. 100 g has about 250 Kcal. Feta brings a good concentration of proteins. The breakdown between fatty acids usually favor saturated fat and also the concentration of cholesterol is not the best. It also has a high salt content so it is advisable not to salt the foods of the same meal.
FETA RECIPES
Feta is very used in the kitchen as “table cheese” or as ingredient in salads, cakes or pasta. Its salt content is a great solution to ensure a good taste in every dish. With feta you can make great appetizers, such as feta, olives, extra virgin olive oil and aromatic herbs like oregano that fits perfectly with feta.
FETA SALADS
The most famous recipe with feta is the traditional Greek Salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, oregano and black olives.
You can also try some variation such as an “Italian version” of Greek salad with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, olives, extra virgin olive oil and oregano. You can also add capers, peppers or grilled vegetables.
Feta is also good for preparing fruit salads, such as melon, watermelon, feta and mint. Here is the recipe
FETA AND PASTA
Feta is also ideal for replacing Parmesan cheese and flavoring. Try to crumble a little on a classic pasta with tomato sauce. Or try feta with zucchini to season your pasta.
SALTY CAKE
Feta is the perfect ingredient also for tasty and alternative salty cake such as tart with cherry tomatoes and feta. To prepare it, cover a baking pan with pasta sfoglia or pasta brisè. Crumble some feta on the base with and cover with tomato slices. Season with garlic, extra virgin olive oil and oregano. Cook at 190 ° for 30/40 minutes.
CURIOSITY
It seems that the origin of the name “Feta” comes from the term “fetta” that means “slice” indicating the curd cut. According to tradition, feta was produced in large blocks, then cut to put the slices in the preservation barrels.
The first references to its production date back to the 8th century BC. Omero in Odyssey describes the technology used for cheese production in the Polifemo cave. The technology used is very similar to that used by Greek shepherds today.
It also seems that the word “fetu” comes from “feta”. In Sicilian dialect “fetu” means bad smell. It seems that the origin of the term is due to a linguistic mistake… The ancient Greeks who arrived in Sicily tried to trade the feta but it gave a strong smell. Just because of the strong smell of this cheese, the greek term “feta” has evolved over time in the Sicilian “fetus” which indicates a bad odor.
At the dairy of Podere Il Casale organic farm we produce organic cheeses from the raw milk of our sheep and goats. From the typical Pecorino di Pienza, to goats’ cheese, yogurt, ricotta and also a cheese very similar to feta. Learn more[:it]