Tirokroketes (Greek Fried Goat Cheese Balls) with Honey

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Tirokroketes (Greek Fried Goat Cheese Balls) with Honey

By

Victoria Moore

Tirokroketes (Greek Fried Goat Cheese Balls) with Honey

Club soda lightens the egg batter that coats the cheese, and a double-coating of panko crumbs amplifies the crunch with these fried cheese balls from Greece.

Yield

8

Time

1 hour

Rating

—

Ingredients

Canola oil, for frying

1/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup club soda

One 10-ounce log of fresh goat cheese

Honey, chopped roasted pistachios and freshly ground pepper, for serving

3 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs), lightly crushed

Salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Instructions

Step 1

Cut the goat cheese log into 16 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Refrigerate the balls on a wax paper–lined baking sheet until firm, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

In a bowl, whisk the egg and club soda. Gradually whisk in the flour and cornstarch and season with salt. Spread the panko in a shallow bowl. Dip the goat cheese balls in the egg batter, then dredge in the panko . Coat the balls again in egg batter and panko . Return them to the baking sheet and freeze just until firm, about 15 minutes.

Step 3

In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches of canola oil to 375°. Working in batches, fry the cheese balls over high heat, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the balls to a paper towel–lined plate and season with salt. Transfer the cheese balls to a platter, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pistachios and pepper. Serve hot.

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By

Victoria Moore

Club soda lightens the egg batter that coats the cheese, and a double-coating of panko crumbs amplifies the crunch with these fried cheese balls from Greece.

Yield

8

Time

1 hour

Rating

—

Ingredients

Canola oil, for frying

1/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup club soda

One 10-ounce log of fresh goat cheese

Honey, chopped roasted pistachios and freshly ground pepper, for serving

3 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs), lightly crushed

Salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Instructions

Step 1

Cut the goat cheese log into 16 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Refrigerate the balls on a wax paper–lined baking sheet until firm, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

In a bowl, whisk the egg and club soda. Gradually whisk in the flour and cornstarch and season with salt. Spread the panko in a shallow bowl. Dip the goat cheese balls in the egg batter, then dredge in the panko . Coat the balls again in egg batter and panko . Return them to the baking sheet and freeze just until firm, about 15 minutes.

Step 3

In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches of canola oil to 375°. Working in batches, fry the cheese balls over high heat, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the balls to a paper towel–lined plate and season with salt. Transfer the cheese balls to a platter, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pistachios and pepper. Serve hot.

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1 hr 30 min

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By Lidey Heuck

While diner-style Greek salads made with chopped romaine, crumbled feta and often grilled chicken have become ubiquitous in American restaurants, a traditional Greek salad, or horiatiki salata, is a simpler affair. An assembled salad of large-diced vegetables with Kalamata olives and sometimes capers, this salad has no greens at all, and the feta is served sliced on top of the salad rather than crumbled and tossed into it. A traditional Greek salad dressing usually consists of olive oil and red wine vinegar; this recipe adds garlic and oregano. To make the salad into a satisfying vegetarian main course, throw in a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas.

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Grana Padano crisps with thyme and pink pepper

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These cheese crisps are perfect for serving with a few drinks before a dinner with friends. Incredibly simple and quick to make, they showcase the incredible flavour of Grana Padano – simply double (or triple) the recipe if you're feeding a crowd.

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A standout caprese starts with great fruit. You need ripe tomatoes to weep juices, which then mingle with grassy olive oil and milky cheese to make your dressing. Basil adds freshness, black pepper and flakes of sea salt add crunch, and that’s it, a perfect combination. But if the stone fruit options are looking better than the tomatoes at the market, you can use them instead. They’re similar in flavor to tomatoes, but need cajoling to relinquish their juices. By letting sliced fruit macerate with salt, sugar and lemon juice, their fruitiness becomes more electric and their juices pool on the plate. Start with fruit you can smell and pair it with equally quality ingredients. Caprese is more about shopping than cooking.

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