Galotiri (galo=milk, tiri=cheese, therefore: milky cheese) is a curd cheese made by combining feta cheese, yoghurt and milk. It's a product of Central Greece, and is used as a table cheese or added to pies and pasties. because it is a fresh curd cheese, it doesn't travel well, so it isn't well known around Greece outside its local origins. We were introduced to it on our recent trip to Pelion.
My first taste of galotiri, Pelion, Central Greece
Galotiri can take the place of feta cheese, tzatziki or fresh mizithra; it is used in a similar way as a spread or accompaniment to other foods. It is lighter in calories and not as salty as plain feta cheese, making it a healthier alternative. It can be made at home and keeps about the same amount of time as fresh curd cheese, ie about two weeks, before it starts to take on a more sour taste.
There are many recipes for galotiri (γαλοτύρι) available on the internet. Here is the basic preparation method.
My home-made version of galotiri. This cheese is available ready made from supermarkets, but not in Crete as there is no demand for it (nor is it known at all).
You need:
200g feta cheese (use good quality barelled feta if you can get it)
100g strained yoghurt
half a cup of milk
salt - feta cheese is inherently salty, but this dip could still use some more...
freshly ground pepper - you can also spicy pepper, eg paprika, or peppercorn mixtures or even garlic to give it a tzatziki taste; some people add light tasty herbs like dill.
Crumble the feta cheese in a bowl. Add the other ingredients and mix everything well, taking care not to melt the feta cheese - it should be crumbly while all the other ingredients should look like thick soup. Some people heat the ingredients together, but I think this is unnecessary - you can simply stir the mixture till it takes on a smooth blend.
Week-old galotiri resembles cottage cheese
The mixture is ready to use as is, but will acquire a better taste in a closed container over the next week. Just shake the container (without opening it) a little every day - open it after a week, and the galotiri is ready to be consumed - if you hadn't already consumed it soon after you made it. If you do manage to let the mixture stand in the fridge and work its magic, you will realise that you have created a good Greek substitute for cottage cheese.
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Maria, this looks, and I'm sure tastes, far superior to any cottage cheese I could get here. I'll store this idea away. In the meantime do please continue with the joy of eating it.
ReplyDeleteWellington will be wet this week - yes, of course it is the school holidays!
Much love and care, Michelle and Zebbycat xxx/purrypurr
I love galotyri and i think your version is fantastic! I would have never thought to add feta to yogurt, but now that I think about it it does come very close to the original.
ReplyDeletehere's what mariana says about galotiri :it is not a combination of feta cheese- yoghurt- milk. there are three cheesemaking methods for the traditional acid/renne-curd cheese: a) using salted unpasteurized ewe's or goat milk or mixtures of them, starter culture and rennet, b) using starter culture without rennet c) salting both milk and curd. Traditionally it is matured in goatskin bags (3-4 months) with the addition of fresh milk.
ReplyDeletethe galotiri i had in the north must have been a dip with the same name as the curd cheese. i asked for an explanation in the pelion restaurant, and we were told that this is what the dish we were served contained. then when i looked for it on the web, i chose links that used the same ingredients that we were told about, which is how i made up my own version.
Maria, this looks terrific! I like your glass dish, too. My son is crazy about feta cheese. He loves the stuff. I should make this and see if he'll eat it. Provided, of course, that I don't eat all of it first! What's that pie shaped yummy on the plate in the first photo? It looks delicious, too!
ReplyDeleteSounds great! And as a big cottage cheese, feta and yoghurt fan, I should really give it a try! :)
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a lovely dip, especially with pepper and herbs. I even have all the ingredients in my fridge! I'll give it a go.
ReplyDeleteMaria, women sometimes make a faster version of galotyri (3-3 1/2 kilos milk,2 kilos crumbled feta.The mixture is eaten after 5-6 days). They call it pseftotyri. Nomizo oti kati tetoio efages.
ReplyDeletethanks for the clarification mariana!
ReplyDeleteThis looks wonderful and glad you shared a home-version. Will have to try it meself!
ReplyDeleteWhere is your restaurant in chania ?
ReplyDeletei dont have one...
ReplyDelete