Kefalotyri

Kefalotyri (κεφαλοτύρι)
Country of origin	Greece, Cyprus
Source of milk	sheep and/or goat
Texture	hard
Aging time	3 months or more

Kefalotyri or kefalotiri (Greek: κεφαλοτύρι) is a hard, salty yellow cheese made from sheep milk and/or goat's milk in Greece and Cyprus. A similar cheese Kefalograviera, also made from sheep and/or goat milk, is sometimes sold outside Greece and Cyprus as Kefalotyri.^[1] Depending on the mixture of milk used in the process the color can vary between yellow and white.

In taste it vaguely resembles Gruyere, except it is harder and saltier. A very hard cheese, kefalotyri can be consumed as is, fried in olive oil for a dish called saganaki, or added to foods such as pasta dishes, meat, or cooked vegetables, and is especially suited for grating.^[2] It is also used along with feta cheese in the vast majority of recipes for Spanakopita, where many recipes say to substitute romano or parmesan if kefalotyri cannot be obtained. This is a popular and well-known cheese, establishing its roots in Greece during the Byzantine era.^[3] It can be found in some gourmet or speciality stores in other countries. Young cheeses take two to three months to ripen. An aged kefalotyri, a year old or more, is drier with a stronger flavour, and may be eaten as a meze with ouzo, or grated on food.^[4]

See also

• Reggianito
• Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Pecorino
• Mihaliç Peyniri
• Roumy cheese
• List of cheeses

References

1. Ridgway, J., The Cheese Companion (2002), ISBN 1-84092-339-3
2. Hoffman, Susanna. 2004. The Olive and the Caper: Adventures in Greek Cooking. Workman Publishing. ISBN 978-1563058486. p.28
3. Harbutt, J., The World Encyclopedia of Cheese (2006), ISBN 978-0-7548-0992-0
4. Janet Fletcher (2009-06-07). "Kefalotyri cheese offers intriguing mix". San Francisco Chronicle.