Its a stellar combination of flavours salty, sweet and earthy herb.
Great starter, snack, or make a basic salad so much more interesting!
And why should we?
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Its so great plain!
Serve with warm pita bread, olives, and good olive oil for a simple yet thoroughly enjoyable starter!
Heres what you’re gonna wanna know!
Real Halloumi from Cyprus:For the best results, use authentic Cypriot halloumi.
Lower quality or imitation varieties wont give you that perfect golden crust and may crumble when cooked!
Cut it Thick:Slice your halloumi 1 1.25cm / 0.4 0.5 thick.
Thicker than you think!
Use Oil:Dont skimp on the oil!
Halloumi needs it to achieve a golden, crispy exterior.
Without oil, it will just burn, brown unevenly and certainly wont get crisp.
Pat the Slices Dry:Dry the slices thoroughly before cooking.
This step prevents the sizzling and spitting of water on initial contact, leading to a better crust.
Angelas advice is spot on, and I was thankful that I checked all her boxes.
Now halloumi enthusiasts everywhere can cook it perfectly too!
Who knew a hair appointment could double as a cheese tutorial!?
Halloumi The brand you get matters!
Real halloumi is from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, not Greece.
It will fry up golden on the surface and be soft on the inside.
Look forhalloumi with PDO on the packet label (Protected Designation of Origin).
I get Alambra and Dodoni brands.
So, if you want a really nice golden crispy halloumi, dont skip the oil!
I like to use olive oil because it has more flavour than unflavoured oils like canola oil etc.
Save that for salads and finishing dishes!
Its also thicker so clings better.
I wouldnt substitute with dried thyme, its just not the same.
But, hand on heart, this is still worth making with just honey!
Cutthe halloumi into 1 1.25 cm / 0.4 0.5 thick slices.
Any thinner, and youll end up with halloumi chips.
This is one of the Golden Rules of Halloumi cooking!
Dry Lay the slices out on paper towels then pat the surface dry as well.
Dont press down hard, we just want to blot excess moisture off the surface.
Cook Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a non stick pan.
Place the halloumi in the pan carefully it will splutter!
I use my hands so I can handle the pieces carefully.
Cook for 1 1/2 minutes or until the underside is golden.
Transferdirectly onto the serving plate.
or finish it with the honey and thyme.
), drizzle with honey, sprinkle with thyme and chilli flakes, then serve it asap!
This is probably the most common way I serve it (with and without the honey).
I cook it up when I have a few spare minutes then pass it around.
Youd think so!!
The recipe itself was a no brainer, something Ive been making for years in various forms.
So I got an economical brand I hadnt tried before and it was not good!
Which of course lead me down the path of how much does the halloumi quality matter?
Turns out, wow, the authenticity of the origin matters!
Authentic halloumi made in Cyprus is superior, delivering golden surfaces and soft gooey insides.
So this simple recipe turned out not to be so simple after all!!
Is halloumi gluten free?
Yes it is, and so this dish is gluten free.
Can I use feta instead of halloumi?
No, it wont go golden on the surface.
Yep, been there, tried that!
Hot honey instead of honey + chilli flakes?
If hot honey was a staple in my world, Id have suggested that!
What else could I use instead of honey + thyme?
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