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Kefalotyri Cheese for Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to kefalotyri products
About kefalotyri
A traditional Greek cheese, kefalotyri (pronounced KEF-ah-loh-TEER-ri ), is usually made from raw goat's milk and/or sheep's milk. Depending on the mixture of milk used to make the cheese, it could have a color ranging between white and yellow.
This tough cheese has a sharp flavor and dry texture. It dates back to the Byzantine era, and it's believed that this cheese is related to most Greek hard cheeses. The cheese is made throughout Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus. It's also known historically to be the first cheese produced at the beginning of a new season, ensuring that the milk used was taken once the lambs were weaned.
Whereas young cheeses are aged between 2-3 months, kefalotyri is aged for up to a year. Because it's aged for a longer time, kefalotyri has a stronger flavor. Its taste is similar to Gruyere, but kefalotyri is saltier and harder. It also resembles another Greek cheese called kefalograviera, another type of sheep's and goat's milk but is slightly softer and not as salty.
If you're looking for ways to use kefalotyri, these are some of its most common uses:
- Prepare Saganaki: Perhaps the most well-known way of using this cheese is in Saganaki. In this appetizer, the cheese is cut into strips or cubes, dipped into water and then flour, and pan-fried in olive oil. Make sure the oil is hot enough, otherwise the cheese will not fry properly. You only leave the cheese in the pan for about one minute. Serve the fried cheese with a lemon wedge.
- Add it to Spanakopita: When you're making this savory Greek spinach pie, add 1 cup of shredded kefalotyri along with feta into the spinach mixture for the filling. It's placed inside a crust made out of phyllo dough.
- Top main courses: Because of its dry texture, kefalotyri is easy to grate, so you can use it on top of various dishes such as pizza, stews, and soups.
- Serve it on a cheeseboard: Cut up the kefalotyri into bite-size pieces, and place them on a cheeseboard. Include figs, pears, and grapes.
How long does kefalotyri last?
You can purchase kefalotyri in wheels or wedges. It should be firm but smooth when you touch it. Its rind is edible and light brown, while the cheese has small air holes scattered throughout. You can store the cheese in the refrigerator for up to six months.
Whether you plan to fry, grate, or eat kefalotyri right from the pack, the first step is to make sure you have enough of it at home. Open the Instacart app, add the cheese to your cart, and let an Instacart shopper take care of your order. You should have your kefalotyri at your home in as little as 2 hours, so you can start enjoying this delicious cheese!
Kefalotyri Near Me
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FAQs about kefalotyri
Kefalotyri is an extremely versatile cheese as you can use it instead of several types of cheeses. Some cheeses you can swap out include the following:
- Graviera: Not many recipes call for this cheese, but if you have a dish that involves frying this cheese, feel free to use kefalotyri instead.
- Haloumi: Another fried cheese; this has a milder flavor than Graviera and could be swapped out for kefalotyri.
- Pecorino: If you're using grated kefalotyri, you can substitute it for Pecorino, which is also made from sheep's milk.
- Romano: This is a type of Pecorino cheese, and it has a strong flavor, just like kefalotyri.
Yes, you can freeze this type of cheese because it's a hard cheese. You can either freeze the cheese in grated form or wrap it in aluminum foil and place it in a freezer-safe plastic bag or container. This prevents the cheese from developing freezer burn.
It's best to avoid freezing huge chunks of cheese as it will lose its moisture quicker and become crumbly once thawed. The texture of the cheese is the main component that changes when you freeze cheese, so if you plan to use the cheese in sauces or grated, it's less of an issue than if you plan to fry it. If you freeze kefalotyri, it should last for about 6 months in the freezer. Make sure to defrost the cheese in the refrigerator before you use it in a recipe.
Compared to Parmigiano-Reggiano, kefalotyri is the healthier option. One ounce of kefalotyri has 7.5 grams of total fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, and 248 milligrams of sodium. Its sodium is almost half of what you would find in Parmigiano-Reggiano. If you're on a low-sodium diet or want to avoid consuming a lot of salt, consider using kefalotyri cheese.