Kefalotyri

Kefalotyri is a hard, salty white cheese made from sheep's milk, goat's milk or a mixture of both in Greece and Cyprus. It is valued for its firmness, which makes it ideal for grating, frying or eating on its own.

History

The name comes from the Greek κεφαλότυρι, meaning "head cheese", probably a reference to the headlike shape of the cheese wheel. The cheese has been made in various parts of Greece since the Byzantine era, making it one of the country's long-established traditional cheeses.

Traditionally it is made from pure sheep's milk or from a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk. The cylindrical wheels, wider than they are tall, can weigh between 6 and 8 kilograms. An authentic kefalotyri contains at least 40% fat in dry matter and no more than 38% moisture, which accounts for its firm texture.

Young cheeses take two to three months to ripen. Aged versions, a year old or more, become drier and stronger in flavour and are eaten as a meze with ouzo or grated over dishes. Outside Greece and Cyprus it is mainly found in gourmet and speciality shops.

Culture

Kefalotyri is part of everyday Greek cooking. Its best-known use is saganaki, a fried cheese served hot in restaurants and tavernas. It is also used to stuff baked chicken Greek-style. In traditional Greek cooking it appears alongside feta in many spanakopita recipes, although some versions replace it with Italian-style cheeses such as Romano or Parmesan.

Its colour can range from yellow to white depending on the milk blend. The rind is hard, thin and dry in appearance, and the paste contains small, evenly distributed holes. It remains a common cheese in Greece and, to a lesser extent, in Cyprus.