Chees Feta

Feta cheese is a traditional Greek cheese made from sheep’s milk with the addition of whole goat’s milk. Distinctive features of that product are a pronounced salty taste, a dense and crumbling structure.

Feta is produced on the island of Lesbos in the mainland Peloponnese, Epirus. In the mountainous terrain, goats and sheep freely roam the pastures here, eating wild herbs. As a result, their milk acquires the aroma and taste of fragrant thyme, marjoram, which determines the expressiveness and piquancy of the product. In addition, soft white cheese is made in the Mediterranean countries, South-Eastern Europe, the Middle East (Croatia, Romania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Israel, Egypt, Bosnia).

General characteristics

In Greek, “feta” means “chunk”. Indeed, semi-hard cheese is made in one large piece weighing up to 1,5 kg, so it is broken for distribution into portions. The first mention of soft salted cheese was found in Homer’s Odyssey. This is a fairly satisfying product with a fat content of 30-60%.

Interestingly, mold fungus is not used in the production of feta cheese. Instead, manufacturers sometimes introduce sourdough enriched with lactobacilli. ^[1]. Currently, the cheese is aged in saline for at least 3 months.

Greek cheese goes well with bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil and black olives. The salty taste of feta with a slight milky sourness emphasizes red wine, fragrant bread, sweet grapes, seafood and herbs (spinach, rosemary, mint and oregano). The color of the finished product depends on the type of raw materials used in the production process, and can vary from ivory (sheep’s milk) to snow white (goat’s).

Feta is sold in vacuum packs or by weight. Cheese should be stored in brine in the refrigerator. The shelf life of the opened product is 5 days at temperatures up to 5 degrees. Vacuum cheese can be stored for up to 90 days, provided the container is sealed properly. If yellowness appears on the surface of the cheese or an unpleasant smell, the use of feta should be discarded.

Remember, a spoiled product is a danger to human health, because it causes poisoning, disrupts the digestive tract, and worsens overall well-being.

Chemical composition

Feta is one of the dietary types of cheese. In one serving of the product (28 g), only 6 g of fat and 74 kcal are concentrated, while in brie – 8 g and 94 kcal, and in cheddar – 9 g and 113 kcal, respectively. 100 g of feta contains 264 kcal. Cheese does not contain carbohydrates that are converted into fat, therefore it is indicated for use by people suffering from obesity, diabetes, heart and pancreas diseases.

People with listeriosis (a bacterial infection) and constipation are especially benefited from feta because it helps to normalize stools.

The undeniable advantages of Greek cheese include a high content of calcium (493 mg / 100 g – 49,3% of the daily requirement), phosphorus (337 mg – 42,1%), riboflavin (0,844 mg – 46,9%) and cyanocobalamin ( 0,00169 mg – 56,3%).

Interestingly, the flavor of feta cheese exhibits aphrodisiac properties. Because of what the product is always present on the wedding table.

Production technology

According to world statistics in 2009, the laurels for the consumption of cheese belong to the Greeks: 31 kg per person per year, while 12 kg of them are feta. The second place is given to the French: 24 kg, the third – to the Maltese (22 kg). It is interesting that different countries produce their own unique cheese: in Germany – altenburger, in Spain – Burgos, in Italy – mozzarella, in Denmark – danablue. At the same time, Greek feta is recognized by cheese lovers all over the world for its beneficial properties and unique taste. It is a soft, salty white product prepared by fermenting sheep (70%) and goat (30%) milk with rennet. ^[5][6]. The raw materials used must be natural, without preservatives and dyes, extraneous additives.

The technological process of feta production consists of the following stages: pasteurization, homogenization, fermentation, separation of whey from the soft cheese fraction, pressing, salting, packaging ^[7].

Cooking principle

Goat and sheep’s milk are mixed, observing the indicated proportions, and renin is added. From it a mass is formed that resembles cottage cheese in consistency. The resulting milk mixture is flavored with coarse sea salt, placed in molds, left for several days.

Formed pieces of feta are transferred to wooden barrels with brine, where they are kept for at least 3 months, and then packaged in hermetically sealed plastic containers or in tin containers with a heat-sealed plate and a clamping lid, 250, 500, 1000 g each.

At present, the process of cheese production is fully mechanized. From 5,5 liters of milk is obtained up to 1 kg of feta

Useful Properties

In the process of making feta, a bacterial starter is used from microorganisms – probiotic cultures that enrich the cheese. They, in turn, can save a person from listeriosis, food poisoning, pathogenic intestinal flora. In addition, the amino acid tryptophan, which is involved in the production of serotonin (happiness hormone), was found in Greek cheese. In addition to improving mood, it improves immunity, performance, and normalizes sleep.

What is the benefit of feta ^[8][9]

Regulates blood pressure, strengthens bones and teeth, prevents the formation of kidney stones, reduces the risk of myocardial infarction, increases immune defense, participates in the transport of oxygen.

Prevents premature aging, osteoporosis, fights migraines. Protects against cancer and improves vision. Reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome, which threatens the development of diabetes mellitus and cardiac diseases.

Improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, reduces toxicosis in case of food poisoning, neutralizes toxic substances. The lactic acid bacteria that make up the cheese have an anti-inflammatory effect on the walls of the stomach and intestines.

Provides the body with a highly nutritious protein that is fully digestible. To fill the daily requirement for proteins, it is recommended to eat 200 g of cheese per day. Interestingly, in terms of protein content, feta is superior to meat.

Reduces the impact of stress factors. According to recent scientific experiments, it was found that with the regular use of 5 servings of dairy products (140 g) per day, the process of losing fat deposits in the abdominal cavity is accelerated.

Thus, feta is an indispensable product for weight loss. Greek cheese contains calcium and conjugated linoleic acid, which improves the absorption of calcium by the body and stimulates the breakdown of fats. ^[10].

Caution feta

Greek cheese is a source of saturated fat, which can provoke the development of heart disease. In addition, feta contains a lot of salt due to the constant presence in a concentrated solution. To neutralize the excess sodium chloride, a piece of cheese should be soaked in milk or water for 10 minutes before use.

Despite this procedure, salt still remains in the product. Its excess provokes the appearance of hypertension, overloads the heart, kidneys, contributes to the narrowing of blood vessels, hampering blood flow. As a result, the internal organs, in particular, the lungs and the brain, “do not receive enough oxygen,” which leads to the development of stroke, asthma, and heart failure.

With excessive use of feta (more than 400 g per day), a person begins to feel thirsty, and fluid in the body is retained, which leads to shortness of breath, weight gain, the appearance of the so-called “orange peel” in problem areas.

Currently, producers of pseudo-Greek cheese often use pasteurized cow’s milk in the manufacturing process, saturated with antibiotics or genetically engineered growth hormones, which pose a danger to human health.

Contraindications to the use of feta: coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, type 2 diabetes mellitus, arthritis, predisposition to obesity, allergy to sour-milk products, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, arterial hypertension ^[11].

cooking recipes

In different countries, soft feta cheese is made from goat, sheep, cow’s milk. The cheese has a soft structure with mechanical voids, matures in brine. The advantages of a product prepared independently at home are cost-effectiveness, high quality, confidence in the benefits of feta due to the use of natural raw materials.

At the present time, Greek cheese outside the country is made mainly from cow’s or powdered milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, kefir. Of course, these recipes cannot be considered classics. In the traditional recipe, feta is made exclusively from sheep’s milk (70%), to which goat’s (30%) is added. Consider the simplest and most affordable recipes for making a homemade product.

Cow Milk Feta

Ingredients:

• pepsin – 8 tablets;
• boiled water – 50 ml;
• sour cream – 200 g;
• homemade milk – 2000 ml.

The cooking process

Milk divided into 2 parts (200 ml and 1800 ml). Mix the first part with sour cream, heat the second to 38 degrees. Remove the saucepan from the fire. Pour diluted sour cream into warm milk in a thin stream, stirring the mass intensively with a whisk.

Water is heated, dissolve pepsin tablets. Enzyme liquid pour into the milk-sour cream mixture, leave overnight. Drain the formed serum.

Put the prepared mass into a sieve with a fine fraction, leave to drain for 2 hours. Then transfer to a linen bag, on top of which put a weight of 3 kg. The mass must be under pressure for at least 8 hours. Expand the bag, put the cheese in a dish, cut into portions.

If during the cooking process the density of feta is insufficient, it is rubbed with salt and left for 5 hours. Thus, sodium chloride will help remove excess liquid from the product. Keep in mind that the cheese will be more salty.

If the feta turned out to be very crumbly and dense in structure, it is placed in salted cold water or whey for 1 hour.

Ready soft cheese should be stored in brine. The principle of its preparation: dissolve 200-5 g of sea salt in 7 ml of whey or water. Feta is placed in brine, where it ages gracefully. The shelf life of the homemade product is 10 days.

Home cottage cheese feta cheese

Ingredients:

• fat-free cottage cheese – 1 kg;
• salt – 3 of

The cooking process

Mix the ingredients, wrap in cling film, leave in the refrigerator for 3 days. Put salted cottage cheese under the press, leave for 1 day. As a result, it acquires a denser structure and tastes like feta. If desired, ground spices can be added to the product to improve the aroma: cumin, dill.

Remember, feta, prepared in industrial and home conditions, differs in structure, taste and aroma. Do not attempt to obtain an identical product yourself, as this is not possible. The quality of the finished cheese directly depends on the quality of raw materials.

Feta is used as an independent product or introduced into the composition of pizza, snacks and salads, added to seafood, fish, meat dishes. From soft cheese, combined with greens, traditional Italian filling is prepared for baking pies.

How to choose

Feta is a dietary product that is less high in calories than other types of cheese due to its high water content. It is recommended to introduce it in programs to reduce body weight (for example, the Ducan system).

Nutritional value of different varieties of cheese (in 100 g):

• “Parmesan” – 392 kcal;
• “Swiss”, 50% – 391 kcal;
• “Cheddar”, 50% – 380 kcal;
• “Russian”, 50% – 364 kcal;
• “Gouda” – 356 kcal;
• “Dutch”, 45% – 350 kcal;
• “Roquefort”, 50% – 335 kcal;
• “Camembert” – 324 kcal;
• “Suluguni” – 286 kcal;
• “Adyghe” and “Feta” – 264 kcal;
• “Brynza” – 260 kcal.

Interestingly, in their homeland, Greek feta cheese is considered a traditional product that is present on every table like bread, regardless of the main course. It is eaten with legumes, olives, herbs, vegetables, meat, fish, seafood, cereals, and even fruits, berries, in particular, melon and watermelon.

What to look for in the feta selection process

Remember, real feta is made exclusively in Greece, which is a guarantee of the naturalness of the product. The package must contain the inscription “feta cheese”. In no case should it be indicated that it is a brine or cheese product.

In the classic recipe, only rennet, salt, sheep or goat milk are used in the cheese production process. There should not be any other ingredients in the product. In particular, this applies to cow’s milk. Otherwise, feta will leave an unpleasant aftertaste, have a sour smell, and crumble easily. Properly cooked feta is white in color. A yellowish tint indicates that the product has not been stored in brine for some time, but has been exposed to air. Cheese should not be bitter or sour. Depending on the type, the taste of feta can be spicy, more or less salty.

The surface of the cheese should be in holes, cracks. Depending on the production technology and the duration of pressing, the product has the following structure: soft, medium hard, hard. Which type of cheese to give preference depends on the individual preferences of the buyer. The PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) mark must be present on the packaging, confirming that the product is protected by European law ^[12]. High-quality feta cheese improves the functioning of the nervous, cardiovascular, reproductive systems, has a beneficial effect on blood composition, reduces the level of emotionality, relieves insomnia and depression. It is recommended for daily use.

Cheese or feta

Among the wide range of vegetable snacks, Greek salad is especially popular. Feta is an essential ingredient in this dish. Most housewives prefer to replace cheese with ordinary cheese. Are these products really similar? Consider the similarities and fundamental differences between them.

Brynza is a cheese made from cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk, aged in brine. It has a pronounced sour-milk smell, moderately salty, has a white color with a yellow tint. The homeland of the product is Eastern Europe. In the production process, feta cheese is not subjected to significant heat treatment, the duration of soaking is 20-60 days.

Feta – semi-hard cheese, made on the basis of goat, sheep milk. The structure visually resembles pressed cottage cheese. It has a salty taste with a slight sourness.

Feta and cheese cannot include any vegetable fats and oils. Only natural milk triglycerides are present in the cheese.

Difference between products ^[13]

1. Producing country. Feta is a Greek cheese, bryndza is Romanian.
2. Colour. Feta has a snow-white color, the cheese has a slightly yellowish tint.
3. Structure. Feta has a delicate and soft texture on the surface of which there are depressions, cracks. Brynza is a hard but brittle cheese without holes.
4. Storage method Feta retains its freshness and beneficial properties only if it is in brine. Cheese can be kept on the air.
5. Nutrient content. Feta has a high concentration of choline, vitamin A, protein and calcium, and cheese has a high concentration of phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulfur.
6. Calorie content. Feta and feta cheese have almost the same nutritional value: 264 kcal and 260 kcal, respectively.
7. Product features. Feta strengthens the heart, immunity, helps to cope with food poisoning, while cheese increases the protective functions of cells, reduces cholesterol levels.

Thus, these varieties of semi-hard cheeses are equally beneficial for the human body. They serve as a source of vitamins, macro- and microelements, supply building material to cells – protein, thanks to which feta and feta cheese strengthen bone tissue, improve the condition of teeth and nails.

Conclusion

Feta is a Greek dairy product with a pronounced salty taste and a fat content of 40-60%. In the production process, the cheese goes through a mandatory stage of “aging” in brine for 3 months. During this time, it acquires a piquant taste (characteristic sourness).

Feta is a source of beneficial microorganisms, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, B, E, K. It is a dietary product with antioxidant properties.

Useful properties: improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, eliminates dysbacteriosis, increases the barrier functions of the body, reduces the risk of developing a heart attack, neurological diseases and metabolic syndrome. Greek cheese contains saturated fats, so if you abuse the product, heart problems can occur.

In the process of choosing feta, you should pay attention to the following criteria: the country of origin, color, structure, taste, composition and name of the cheese, the presence of a special sign certifying the authenticity of the product. In no case should you be careless when buying fermented milk products, as this threatens to buy a low-quality product that can cause food poisoning.

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