How Is Feta Cheese Made?

The traditional Greek curd cheese which is popularly used in a lot of Greek recipes is called feta cheese. The word 'feta' actually means 'slice'. In fact, Greek shepherds still continue this ancient art by making feta cheese with unpasteurized milk. Originally this cheese was made using goat's or sheep's milk. Commercially, nowadays, pasteurized cow's milk is used. The curdled milk is kept separately in a cloth bag or in a special mold and allowed to drain. Large portions are then sliced, salted and put in barrels which are filled with whey or brine. The brine solution is either water or whey and the cheese is salted and cured in it from a week up to several months. The cheese will dry out rapidly when taken out from the brine. It can contain 30 to 60 % of fat, although usually it has approximately 45% fat content. Feta cheese is so unique that this cheese made in Greece has been given a protected designation of origin (PDO).