Cheeses are among the foods consumed by humans. They can be included in the menu every day, buying different types, used as an independent dish or an ingredient in a recipe. The article will focus on feta cheese: what it is, how to use it.
Variety of cheeses
Cheeses entered the human diet in ancient times. They were made from the milk of cows and goats. The finished product was dried in the sun.
There are 800 varieties of cheese known in the world today. Produced in such European countries as Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy.
In Russia, cheese appeared under Peter I, later they founded their own cheese-making artels, where cheese was made from cow's milk.
Traditionally, cheeses are made from milk by fermenting it with various enzymes and lactic acid bacteria. Depending on the technology of preparation, cheeses are divided into the following types:
- soft;
- hard;
- fermented milk;
- brine.
Among this variety, feta cheese is interesting: what is it, how useful, what is it. In addition, let's see what dishes it is included in.
Chees Feta
What is feta? The word is translated into Russian as "piece". Sheep (30% goat is acceptable) milk is used as a raw material. This is a cheese that is produced in Greece, and nothing more! There are a lot of varieties of feta in Greece: from cheese with a mild creamy taste to salty with an intense and persistent aroma. Belongs to the group of pickled cheeses.
So, feta: what is it, how is it stored, what is best combined with?
Ready cheese is stored in salt solution in wooden barrels or in metal cans in large pieces. In this case, very large.
The cheese is white or creamy in color and is similar to well-pressed cottage cheese, but more salty and sour. The consistency is very solid, and the more goat milk is added, the denser it will be. It is impossible to spread it on a piece of bread. This is the main sign of the quality of cheese.
Before eating, the cheese must first be soaked for a few minutes in milk or mineral water, so it will not be so salty.
Feta goes well with vegetables, various herbs and herbs, bread and fruits such as pears.
Composition and calories
Feta cheese, the composition of which is simple, but at the same time very high in calories. This is due to the fact that it is aged for about three months. Its fat content can be different: from 30 to 60 percent. Depending on this, the calorie content will also be different, but on average it is 264 kcal.
When buying feta cheese, the calorie content of which is quite high, we must remember that it is not suitable for diets. For the same reason, it is recommended that overweight people eat it with caution.
Dish recipes
Consider dishes with feta cheese: what is so special that you can cook so that all its taste qualities are revealed as fully as possible.
The most famous recipe with this cheese is the Dish that many people like because it contains feta cheese, the calorie content of which makes this salad very satisfying. The recipe includes the following ingredients: feta, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, green salad, olives, onions and olive oil. Method of preparation: lettuce leaves are laid out on a plate, and on them - all the components, cut into large cubes, pour oil and lemon juice on top.
Tender and original chicken cutlets with herbs and feta cheese are obtained. For minced meat, grind in a blender at low speed 400 g of chicken fillet, 200 g of spinach, 150 g of feta cheese and 2 tablespoons of flour. You will get a soft mince. Spoon into flour, shape into balls and fry in oil. These cutlets will be a good addition to any side dish.
Barley with feta. We cook barley porridge separately. When it is infused, add the dressing. It is prepared from the following ingredients: 350 g of cherry tomatoes, a bunch of dill, a teaspoon of lemon zest, salt, pepper to taste, 180 g of feta cheese, 3 tbsp. tablespoons of olive oil. Mix everything and let it brew.
Cheese can also be consumed as an independent dish. In this case, it is served with and grapes.
Feta cheese is a very popular dairy product with a delicate, creamy and crumbly texture. Traditionally, it is made from sheep's milk (according to standards, milk in a cheese product must be at least 70%) or.
The homeland and the undisputed leader in production is Greece, followed by the USA, Italy, Denmark and Germany.
To improve the palatability, the cheese goes through an aging stage, which ideally lasts from 4 to 6 weeks.
The finished product has a white color and a noticeable salty taste.
- Feta cheese is rich in valuable minerals, especially iron and calcium. Calcium strengthens teeth and bones, regulates blood pressure, reduces the risk of heart disease (such as myocardial infarction), and prevents the formation of kidney stones. Iron is involved in the transport of oxygen, strengthens the immune system.
- An excellent source of vitamin A, which also improves immunity, makes bones and teeth stronger, has antioxidant properties and protects against cancer.
- Helps avoid food poisoning. A medical study presented at the 2008 annual meeting of the Society for Microbiology confirms that real feta cheese contains special lactic acid bacteria. These bacteria neutralize microorganisms that cause food poisoning.
- For migraines and aging. One serving (28 g or 1 oz) of feta cheese contains 14% of the recommended daily allowance of riboflavin or vitamin B2. It prevents premature aging and some degenerative diseases. But what is even more interesting is the ability of riboflavin to fight migraines. The April 2010 issue of the Journal of the Indian Medical Association proves this amazing property of the vitamin.
- Reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome. This is evidenced by a recent study involving 2,375 men who ate a variety of dairy products, including feta cheese. Metabolic syndrome is dangerous for the development of cardiac diseases and diabetes. Just add some cheese to your diet.
Other nutrients in feta: 8% vitamin B12, 6% vitamin B6, 9% phosphorus, 6% selenium and 5% zinc.
For weight loss
This is one of the lightest cheeses. Each serving contains 74 calories and 6 g of fat. For comparison, cheddar cheese has 113 calories and 9 grams of fat, while brie has 94 calories and 8 grams of fat.
Recent scientific experiments have shown that eating 5 servings of dairy products per day leads to an accelerated loss of abdominal fat. Another good thing about feta cheese for weight loss is calcium, which stimulates the breakdown of fats and helps control weight. In addition, the product contains conjugated linoleic acid, which promotes the absorption of calcium by the body.
Harm: fly in the ointment
Feta cheese is a healthy product that is definitely worth looking into if you care about your physical health. Just don't eat too much of it. Like most other cheeses, it contains saturated fats, which can cause heart disease.
In addition, manufacturers add a lot of salt to it. To neutralize the excess, soak the pieces of cheese in water or milk for a few minutes before eating.
Unfortunately, today's manufacturers often use pasteurized cow's milk in the production of feta cheese. But it's still half the trouble. Such milk often contains genetically engineered growth hormones and traces of antibiotics, the safety of which for humans raises serious concerns. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to buy homemade farm cheese, in which there are no harmful substances, be sure to use it.
Feta cheese is a traditional Greek cheese made from sheep's milk with the addition of whole goat's milk. Distinctive features of the product are pronounced salty taste, dense and crumbling structure.
Feta is produced on the island of Lesbos, on the territory of the mainland Peloponnese, Epirus. In mountainous terrain, goats and sheep roam freely in pastures, 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 snow-white cheese is made in the Mediterranean countries, Southeast Europe, in the Middle East - in Croatia, Romania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Israel, Egypt, Bosnia.
general characteristics
In Greek, "feta" means "to break". Indeed, semi-hard cheese is made in one large piece, weighing up to 1.5 kg. Therefore, to distribute portions, it is broken. The first mention of soft salted cheese was found in Homer's Odyssey. This is a fairly satisfying product with a fat content of 40-60%.
Interestingly, mold fungus is not used in the production of feta cheese. Instead, manufacturers sometimes introduce a starter enriched with lactobacilli. 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 stored in brine in the refrigerator, sold in vacuum packs or by weight. 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 not sealed. If yellowness appears on the surface of the piece or an unpleasant odor, 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, worsening overall well-being.
Chemical composition
Feta is one of the most 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.
Feta is of particular benefit to people with listeria, constipation, as it helps to normalize the stool.
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%).
| Name | The content of nutrients in 100 g of the product, mg |
|---|---|
| vitamins | |
| Choline (B4) | 15,4 |
| Niacin (B3) | 0,991 |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0,967 |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0,844 |
| Pyridoxine (B6) | 0,424 |
| Tocopherol (E) | 0,18 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0,154 |
| Retinol (A) | 0,125 |
| Folic acid (B9) | 0,032 |
| Phylloquinone (K) | 0,0018 |
| Cyanocobalamin (B12) | 0,00169 |
| Cholecalciferol (D) | 0,0004 |
| Macronutrients | |
| Sodium | 1116,0 |
| Calcium | 493,0 |
| Phosphorus | 337,0 |
| Potassium | 62,0 |
| Magnesium | 19,0 |
| trace elements | |
| Zinc | 2,88 |
| Iron | 0,65 |
| Copper | 0,032 |
| Manganese | 0,028 |
| Selenium | 0,015 |
Interestingly, the aroma of feta cheese exhibits aphrodisiac properties. Because of what the product is invariably present on the wedding table.
Production technology
According to world statistics, the laurels of cheese consumption belong to the Greeks - 23 kg per person per year, while 12 kg of them are feta. The second place is given to the French - 22 kg, the third - to the Germans, 10 kg. Interestingly, different countries produce their own unique cheese: in Germany - Altenburger, Spain - Burgos, Italy - mozzarella, Denmark - danablue. At the same time, Greek feta is recognized by cheese lovers from 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. 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.
Cooking principle
Goat's and sheep's milk are mixed, observing the indicated proportions, renin is added. A mass is formed from it, resembling cottage cheese in consistency. The resulting milk mixture is flavored with coarse sea salt, placed in molds, left for several days.
The formed pieces of feta are transferred to wooden barrels with brine, where they are kept for at least 3 months, and then packaged in plastic containers, hermetically packed or in a tin container with a heat-sealed plate and a clamping lid, 250, 500, 1000 g each.
Currently, the cheese production process is completely mechanized. From 5.5 liters of milk, up to 1 kg of feta is obtained.
Beneficial features
In the process of making feta, a bacterial starter from microorganisms is used, which enriches the cheese with valuable probiotic cultures. They, in turn, can get rid of listeriosis, food poisoning, pathogenic intestinal flora. In addition, the amino acid tryptophan, which is involved in the production of serotonin, the “hormone of happiness,” was found in Greek cheese. In addition to improving mood, it improves immunity, performance, and normalizes sleep.
What are the benefits of feta
It regulates blood pressure, strengthens bones and teeth, prevents the formation of kidney stones, reduces the risk of myocardial infarction, increases immune defense, and is involved in oxygen transport.
Prevents premature aging, osteoporosis, fights migraines. Protects against cancer and improves eyesight. Reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome, which threatens the development of diabetes and cardiac diseases.
Improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, weakens the effect 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 highly nutritious protein, which is completely absorbed by the human body. 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 has been found that regular consumption of 5 portions of dairy products (140 g) per day accelerates the process of losing fat deposits in the abdominal cavity.
Thus, feta is an indispensable product for weight loss. The composition of Greek cheese includes calcium and conjugated linoleic acid, the latter, in turn, improves the absorption of the macronutrient by the body, which stimulates the breakdown of fats.
Beware the feta
Greek cheese is a source of saturated fats, which can provoke the development of heart disease. In addition, feta contains a lot of salt due to its constant residence in a concentrated solution. To neutralize excess sodium chloride, a piece of cheese should be soaked in milk or water for 10 minutes before eating.
Despite this procedure, the salt still remains in the product. Its excess provokes the appearance of hypertension, overloads the heart, kidneys, contributes to vasoconstriction, impeding 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, and the appearance of the so-called orange peel in problem areas.
Currently, manufacturers 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.
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 version, feta is made exclusively from sheep's milk (70%) to which goat's milk (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.
Cooking process
Divide the milk into 2 parts (200 ml and 1800 ml): mix the first 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.
Warm water, dissolve pepsin tablets. Pour the fermentative liquid into the milk-sour cream mixture, leave overnight. Discard the resulting whey.
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 load weighing 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, left for 5 hours. Thus, sodium chloride will help remove excess liquid from the product. In this case, it should be borne in mind that the cheese will turn out to 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 stored in brine. The principle of its preparation: dissolve 5-7 g of sea salt in 200 ml of whey or water. Feta is placed in brine, where it ages gracefully. The shelf life of the homemade product is 10 days.
Homemade cottage cheese feta cheese
Ingredients:
- fat-free cottage cheese - 1 kg;
- salt - 3 g.
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, 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 try to obtain an identical product yourself, it is impossible. The quality of the finished cheese directly depends on the quality of raw materials.
Feta is consumed as an independent product or added to pizza, snacks and salads, added to seafood, fish, meat dishes. Soft cheese combined with greens is used to prepare a traditional Italian filling for baking pies.
How to choose
Feta is a dietary product that is less caloric than other types of cheese due to its high water content. It is recommended to introduce it into programs for weight loss (for example, the Dukan system).
Nutritional value of different types of cheese (per 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 cal;
- "Suluguni" - 286 kcal;
- "Adyghe" and "Feta" - 264 kcal;
- "Cheese" - 260 kcal.
Interestingly, at home, Greek Feta cheese is considered a traditional product that is present on every table like bread, regardless of the dish that is served. It is eaten with legumes, olives, greens, vegetables, meat, fish, seafood, cereals, and even fruits, berries, in particular melon and watermelon.
What to look for when choosing a feta
Remember, real feta is made exclusively in Greece, which is a guarantee of the naturalness of the product. The package should contain the inscription "Feta cheese". In no case can a brine or cheese product be indicated on it.
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. AT this case Which type of cheese to give priority depends on the individual preferences of the buyer. The package must be marked "P.D.O. Protected Designation of Origin" confirming that the product is protected by European law. 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. 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. At the same time, 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 is a semi-hard cheese made from goat and sheep milk. The structure visually resembles pressed cottage cheese. It has a salty taste with a slight sourness.
The composition of feta and cheese cannot include any vegetable fats and oils. Cheese contains only natural milk triglycerides.
Difference between products
- Producing country. Feta is a Greek cheese, brynza is Romanian.
- Color. Feta has a snow-white color, brynza has a slightly yellowish tint.
- 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.
- Storage method. Feta retains its freshness and beneficial properties only when kept in brine. Cheese can be kept in the air.
- Nutrient content. Feta contains a large concentration of choline, vitamin A, protein and calcium, and cheese contains phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulfur.
- Calorie content. Feta and cheese have almost the same nutritional value: 264 kcal and 260 kcal, respectively.
- Product features. Feta strengthens the heart, immunity, helps to overcome 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. Due to this, feta and 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 aging stage 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 negligent when buying fermented milk products, as this threatens to buy a low-quality product that can cause food poisoning.
Feta cheese is a traditional Greek cheese made from sheep's milk with the addition of whole goat's milk. Distinctive features of the product are pronounced salty taste, dense and crumbling structure.
Feta is produced on the island of Lesbos, on the territory of the mainland Peloponnese, Epirus. In mountainous terrain, goats and sheep roam freely in pastures, eating wild herbs. As a result, they acquire the aroma and taste of fragrant thyme, marjoram, which determines the expressiveness and piquancy of the product. In addition, soft snow-white cheese is made in the Mediterranean countries, South-Eastern Europe, in the Middle East - in Croatia, Romania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Israel, Egypt, Bosnia.
general characteristics
In Greek, "feta" means "to break". Indeed, semi-hard cheese is made in one large piece, weighing up to 1.5 kg. Therefore, to distribute portions, it is broken. The first mention of soft salted cheese was found in Homer's Odyssey. This is a fairly satisfying product with a fat content of 40-60%.
Interestingly, mold fungus is not used in the production of feta cheese. Instead, manufacturers sometimes introduce a starter enriched with lactobacilli. Currently, the cheese is aged in saline for at least 3 months.
Greek cheese pairs well with bell peppers, onions, and olives. The salty taste of feta with a slight milky sourness emphasizes red wine, fragrant bread, sweet grapes, seafood and herbs: 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 stored in brine in the refrigerator, sold in vacuum packs or by weight. 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 not sealed. If yellowness appears on the surface of the piece or an unpleasant odor, 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, worsening overall well-being.
Chemical composition
Feta is one of the most 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.
Feta is of particular benefit to people with listeria, constipation, as it helps to normalize the stool.
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%).
| Name | The content of nutrients in 100 g of the product, mg |
|---|---|
| vitamins | |
| 15,4 | |
| 0,991 | |
| 0,967 | |
| 0,844 | |
| 0,424 | |
| 0,18 | |
| 0,154 | |
| 0,125 | |
| 0,032 | |
| 0,0018 | |
| 0,00169 | |
| 0,0004 | |
| 1116,0 | |
| 493,0 | |
| 337,0 | |
| 62,0 | |
| 19,0 | |
| 2,88 | |
| 0,65 | |
| 0,032 | |
| 0,028 | |
| 0,015 | |
Interestingly, the aroma of feta cheese exhibits aphrodisiac properties. Because of what the product is invariably present on the wedding table.
Production technology
According to world statistics, the laurels of cheese consumption belong to the Greeks - 23 kg per person per year, while 12 kg of them are feta. The second place is given to the French - 22 kg, the third - to the Germans, 10 kg. It is interesting that different countries produce their own unique cheese: in Germany - Altenburger, Spain - Burgos, Italy - mozzarella, Denmark - danablue. At the same time, Greek feta is recognized by cheese lovers from 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. 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.
Cooking principle
Goat's and sheep's milk are mixed, observing the indicated proportions, renin is added. A mass is formed from it, resembling in consistency. The resulting milk mixture is flavored with coarse sea salt, placed in molds, left for several days.
The formed pieces of feta are transferred to wooden barrels with brine, where they are kept for at least 3 months, and then packaged in plastic containers, hermetically packed or in a tin container with a heat-sealed plate and a clamping lid, 250, 500, 1000 g each.
Currently, the cheese production process is completely mechanized. From 5.5 liters of milk, up to 1 kg of feta is obtained.
Beneficial features
In the process of making feta, a bacterial starter from microorganisms is used, which enriches the cheese with valuable probiotic cultures. They, in turn, can get rid of listeriosis, food poisoning, pathogenic intestinal flora. In addition, the amino acid tryptophan, which is involved in the production of serotonin, the “hormone of happiness,” was found in Greek cheese. In addition to improving mood, it improves immunity, performance, and normalizes sleep.
What are the benefits of feta
It regulates blood pressure, strengthens bones and teeth, prevents the formation of kidney stones, reduces the risk of myocardial infarction, increases immune defense, and is involved in oxygen transport.
Prevents premature aging, osteoporosis, fights migraines. Protects against cancer and improves eyesight. Reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome, which threatens the development of diabetes and cardiac diseases.
Improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, weakens the effect 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 highly nutritious protein, which is completely absorbed by the human body. 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 has been found that regular consumption of 5 portions of dairy products (140 g) per day accelerates the process of losing fat deposits in the abdominal cavity.
Thus, feta is an indispensable product for weight loss. The composition of Greek cheese includes calcium and conjugated linoleic acid, the latter, in turn, improves the absorption of the macronutrient by the body, which stimulates the breakdown of fats.
Beware the feta
Greek cheese is a source of saturated fats, which can provoke the development of heart disease. In addition, feta contains a lot due to the constant stay in a concentrated solution. To neutralize excess sodium chloride, a piece of cheese should be soaked in milk or water for 10 minutes before eating.
Despite this procedure, the salt still remains in the product. Its excess provokes the appearance of hypertension, overloads the heart, kidneys, contributes to vasoconstriction, impeding 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, and the appearance of the so-called orange peel in problem areas.
Currently, manufacturers 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.
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,. Of course, these recipes cannot be considered classics. In the traditional version, feta is made exclusively from sheep's milk (70%) to which goat's milk (30%) is added. Consider the simplest and most affordable recipes for making a homemade product.
Ingredients:
- pepsin - 8 tablets;
- boiled water - 50 ml;
- sour cream - 200 g;
- homemade milk - 2000 ml.
Cooking process
Divide the milk into 2 parts (200 ml and 1800 ml): mix the first with, 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.
Warm water, dissolve pepsin tablets. Pour the fermentative liquid into the milk-sour cream mixture, leave overnight. Discard the resulting whey.
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 load weighing 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, left for 5 hours. Thus, sodium chloride will help remove excess liquid from the product. In this case, it should be borne in mind that the cheese will turn out to 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 stored in brine. The principle of its preparation: dissolve 5-7 g of sea salt in 200 ml of whey or water. Feta is placed in brine, where it ages gracefully. The shelf life of the homemade product is 10 days.
Homemade cottage cheese feta cheese
Ingredients:
- fat-free cottage cheese - 1 kg;
- salt - 3 g.
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, tastes like feta. If desired, ground spices can be added to the product to improve the aroma: cumin,.
Remember, feta, prepared in industrial and home conditions, differs in structure, taste and aroma. Do not try to obtain an identical product yourself, it is impossible. The quality of the finished cheese directly depends on the quality of raw materials.
Feta is consumed as an independent product or added to pizza, snacks and salads, added to seafood, fish, meat dishes. Soft cheese combined with greens is used to prepare a traditional Italian filling for baking pies.
How to choose
Feta is a dietary product that is less caloric than other types of cheese due to its high water content. It is recommended to introduce it into programs for weight loss (for example,).
Nutritional value of different types of cheese (per 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 cal;
- "Suluguni" - 286 kcal;
- "Adyghe" and "Feta" - 264 kcal;
- "Cheese" - 260 kcal.
Interestingly, at home, Greek Feta cheese is considered a traditional product that is present on every table like bread, regardless of the dish that is served. It is eaten with legumes, olives, greens, vegetables, meat, fish, seafood, cereals, and even fruits, berries, in particular melon and watermelon.
What to look for when choosing a feta
Remember, real feta is made exclusively in Greece, which is a guarantee of the naturalness of the product. The package should contain the inscription "Feta cheese". In no case can a brine or cheese product be indicated on it.
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. In this case, which type of cheese to give priority depends on the individual preferences of the buyer. The package must be marked "P.D.O. Protected Designation of Origin" confirming that the product is protected by European law. 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. 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. At the same time, most housewives prefer to replace 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 is a semi-hard cheese made from goat and sheep milk. The structure visually resembles pressed cottage cheese. It has a salty taste with a slight sourness.
The composition of feta and cheese cannot include any vegetable fats and oils. Cheese contains only natural milk triglycerides.
Difference between products
- Producing country. Feta is a Greek cheese, bryndza is Romanian.
- Color. Feta has a snow-white color, brynza has a slightly yellowish tint.
- 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.
- Storage method. Feta retains its freshness and beneficial properties only when kept in brine. Cheese can be kept in the air.
- Nutrient content. A large concentration of choline, vitamin A, protein and calcium is concentrated in feta, and phosphorus, potassium, and sodium are concentrated in cheese.
- . Feta and cheese have almost the same nutritional value: 264 kcal and 260 kcal, respectively.
- Product features. Feta strengthens the heart, immunity, helps to overcome 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 this, feta and 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 aging stage 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, 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 negligent when buying fermented milk products, as this threatens to buy a low-quality product that can cause food poisoning.
Feta (Greek Φέτα from Italian fetta - chunk) is a soft cheese made from sheep's milk, which appeared in ancient times and is now considered Greek. Feta cheese is very popular in all Mediterranean countries and is a necessary element of Greek salad.
History of feta cheese
It is believed that cheeses like feta cheese were known to many peoples who lived on the territory of modern Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Israel and Egypt. The first descriptions of feta are found in Homer's poem "The Odyssey": the Cyclops Polyphemus prepared cheese from milk, which he poured into wineskins from animal skins. Feta cheese was legally registered in the Byzantine Empire under the name πρόσφατος (prósphatos, "recent", that is, new) back in the Middle Ages. The name feta or fetta appeared in Greek in the 17th century from Italian and meant "part", "piece" or "chunk".
In 1494, a traveler first described the technology of making cheese on 
island of Crete: prepared cheese was cut into large pieces and poured with brine from sea water. After the fall of Byzantium, feta continued to be made in the successor countries, which by the 20th century gave rise to several legal scandals, but in 2002 the right to produce cheese called feta was finally assigned to Greece.
Features of feta cheese
Feta cheese is made from sheep's or goat's milk, has a white or cream color, a pleasant cottage cheese smell and a loose crumbly structure. Feta cheese goes well with vegetables and herbs, which is successfully used in the preparation of Greek salad or any salad with fresh vegetables and herbs. Feta has a fairly dense texture. And although this cheese can be easily broken into pieces with your fingers, feta cannot be spread on bread or cut into a thin slice. For this reason, numerous speculations about the name of the famous cheese have nothing to do with feta.
Feta cheese production technology
Cyclops Polyphemus poured sheep's milk into skins to get cheese, apparently, his contemporaries did the same in the time of Homer. Later they began to use ceramics: jugs of milk were taken out into the sun so that the milk curdled. The whey was drained, and the thick was laid out on a cloth, which was tied into a knot and hung in the shade of trees in reed baskets.
The technology for the production of modern feta is extremely simple: the milk is heated to curdle, the whey is drained, and the cheese mass is placed in linen bags and hung on hooks for the final removal of moisture. After a couple of days, the mass is placed in rectangular shapes, sprinkled with sea salt or immersed in saline. The cheese mass is pressed and left to mature on the drain at a temperature of 9-10°C from 2 weeks to 2 months. Feta is stored in weak salt brine or olive oil (mountainous regions of Greece). According to the modern recipe, feta is produced in Central Greece, Macedonia, on the island of Lesbos, Thessaly, Epirus, Crete, Thrace and Cyprus. Similar cheeses, but not entitled to be called feta, are made in Bulgaria, Slovakia, northern Italy, Turkey, the Balkans, and some other countries.
How to choose feta
Feta is a pickled cheese. By properties, it is very similar to cheese, but unlike it, it is made from sheep's milk or a mix of sheep's milk with goat's milk. Feta in finished form is cubes 15 by 15 cm, which are in salt brine. Most often (especially in Greece and Cyprus), feta is sold this way - from barrels in which pieces of cheese float. When packaged, feta must be completely covered with brine. Most often, these are rectangular packages made of hard plastic with brine filled to the top.
In terms of taste and consistency, feta is not similar to Bulgarian or Serbian cheese - the closest "relatives" of feta. Feta is made only from sheep's or goat's milk, which is clearly visible in the taste, smell and dense structure of the cheese. The fat content of a typical feta is 45-50%, but there are varieties with a fat content of 30% and 60%. Be careful: Fitaki, Fetaksa, Paris Burenka and other similar cheeses have nothing to do with real feta and belong to the class of cream cheeses made from cow's milk.
What is useful feta
We can say that the classic Greek salad with cheese is a universal set of proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and bacteria necessary for a person to live a full life.
Where is feta used?
Feta's main use is in Greek salad. By the way, Greek salad also has very deep roots: similar salads have been prepared since ancient times, even before ancient Greece. The salad is based on the combination of salty cheese with fresh vegetables and herbs, dressed with olive oil and lemon juice. Such salads with slight differences were prepared and prepared in all Mediterranean countries, and all, without exception, believe that this is their own invention, disagreeing with the primacy of Greece.
Feta cheese goes well with both fresh and fermented vegetables (sauerkraut, pickles), fresh or toasted bread, and even fruits, especially pears.
Recipes with feta cheese
Ingredients:
1 tomato
1 sweet pepper
1 cucumber
½ onion
handful of olives,
50-70 g feta,
lettuce,
basil leaves,
cilantro,
1 st. a spoonful of olive oil
1 st. a spoonful of lemon juice
salt to taste.
Cooking:
Rinse the vegetables, chop coarsely, lay on lettuce leaves, add large pieces of cheese and olives. Tear the herbs with your hands. Refuel and serve wine.
Feta is quite versatile, it is suitable not only for vegetables, but also for fruits and even melons.
Ingredients:
500-600 g melon,
150 g feta,
2 tbsp. tablespoons sunflower seeds (peeled)
fresh basil.
For refueling:
2 tbsp. tablespoons of olive oil
2 tbsp. spoons of lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
Cooking:
Roast the seeds. Prepare the dressing by mixing the oil with the juice and pepper. Cut the melon into cubes, add cheese cubes and torn basil leaves. Sprinkle with seeds and season with sauce.
In England and the USA they like to cook meat with feta. It can be duck or chicken, or maybe veal or pork. The easiest way to combine meat and cheese is with chicken.
Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breasts
4 medium slices of cheese (100 g each),
4 slices of bacon
8 art. spoons of olive oil,
2 tbsp. spoons of lemon juice
4 garlic cloves,
1 st. a spoonful of oregano
salt, pepper to taste.
Cooking:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Make a mixture of oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Place a slice of feta and a slice of bacon into each breast and secure with toothpicks so the chicken is hugging the cheese. Drizzle all the pieces thoroughly with the oil mixture. Bake at 180 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Serve with vegetable salad and dry red wine.
Attention! Remember that feta cheese is very rich in fat (21 or more grams per 100 grams of product) and salt (100 grams of cheese contains 74% of the daily sodium requirement).
