Cyprus is famous not only for its remarkable ancient history, historical monuments and unique culture. No less interesting for culinary experts all over the world is the cuisine of Cyprus. It has no less ancient history and many delicious dishes and products. Among them is Halumi cheese, patented and recognized as national pride and one of the symbols of the country. By the way, the authenticity of the product was recorded quite recently, in 1999. Nevertheless, this does not make the cooking recipe less ancient, which came to us from the depths of millennia.
Cyprus Halumi Cheese (haloumi)
It is cooked on the island almost everywhere. Both on an industrial scale and in small villages for home consumption. And in every village, probably, there is a master - a connoisseur of the oldest recipes and traditions. We can say that the cuisine of Cyprus (more precisely, many of its dishes) is based on one of the cornerstones - the famous cheese.
Ancient Cheese Group
The product of national pride belongs to the brine group, one of the oldest in the world. Halumi cheese is prepared from goat and sheep milk (adding small doses of cow's milk). Each handicraft specialist in cheese making uses a certain ratio of milk types and the amount of salt, as a result of which in different areas of the country it can vary slightly in taste. But this does not affect its highest quality. It is healthy and tasty, has a snow-white shade, interspersed with mint leaves. It has a layered dense structure. It is stored in brine (salted whey, in which it was prepared). Halumi cheese does not dry out and does not become hard, but at the same time it is not saturated with brine and will not be excessively soft. The main feature is the addition of mint leaves, chopped and dried. It has a characteristic pleasant aroma and creamy taste with sharp notes and brackish.
How they eat?
There are several ways to prepare dishes from this fermented milk product in Cyprus. Well, first of all, you can eat it with pleasure in raw form, cut into pieces. Secondly, these are salads with vegetables. Halumi cheese is traditionally added to them. And most importantly, it can be baked on the grill, processed thermally. This is how this cheese is served in Cypriot taverns, and the locals eat it at a meal. Let's try and we cook?
Grilled cheese
Halumi, as it were, is intended by nature itself for such a recipe, since it is very juicy, dries slightly and is fried, grasping with a golden crust, and does not melt all. At the same time, the cheese remains juicy inside. In general, it resembles a well-cooked barbecue (only from cheese), when the meat inside is juicy, but not raw, but on top is grasped by the rosy crust.
Recipe
Halumi cheese is refractory, so it is ideal for grilling. Although what kind of work is sheer pleasure! And the taste is specific, as the classic of humor said. Frying halumi is probably one of the most optimal ways to cook a delicious juicy snack or a light dinner. And at a picnic with this dairy product, you can have a great time.
We will need: a pound of Cypriot miracle (if the company is large, then you can master a kilogram), fresh pita bread or baguette, vegetables. That's all the ingredients for a hearty snack.
- First, we properly heat the grill using coals. The heat should be excellent, and the coals should not burn, so as not to burn the dish. But it is preparing quickly, so the temperature is needed accordingly.
- Cheese from Cyprus is cut into convenient pieces (considerable and rather thick - up to 1 cm in thickness). You can draw an analogy with cutlets in terms of size. And we need thickness so that inside the fried halumi remains juicy.
- Put the pieces on the grill and fry on both sides for several minutes each. As soon as the characteristic “blush” appears, we turn it over so that the product does not burn. Ideally, the whole process happens very, very fast: one, two - and a delicious dish is ready!
Well, under a good and juicy cheese you can serve fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs or combine everything in a salad. Or bake vegetables on the grill on the same grill - everything will do. As a complement - a fresh baguette or pita bread. A good and appropriate bonus for a meal in nature or at home is a bottle of wine and a friendly conversation. Bon appetit to all of you!