One of the surprise hits of the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival last year was the Griddled Greek Cheese with Pistachios and Honey from the super popular Greece Booth.
I was so glad to see that this menu item is back at the booth in 2012! (To see more photos and Food and Wine Festival menus, be sure to check out our complete list of Epcot Food and Wine Festival Booths, Menus, and Food Photos!)
Greece Booth
A perfect combination of sweet and salty flavors, this dish also introduces interesting textures into the mix with the griddled cheese and nuts. It proved to be so popular last year that distributors had a hard time keeping up with the demand — the dish sold out several times toward the end of the festival!
Griddled Greek Cheese with Pistachios and Honey at Greece Booth
If you’d like to sample this delicious option from the Greece booth, then be sure to line up early. But if you can’t make it to this year’s Festival or if they run out again, here’s a simple and yummy method for making this appetizer in the comfort of your own home!
Epcot Food and Wine Festival Griddled Greek Cheese with Pistachios and Honey
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS:
2 teaspoons finely chopped pistachios (about 10 pistachios)
12 ounces kasseri cheese*
4 teaspoons honey, for garnish
toasted baguette slices, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Heat pistachios in small non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown; set aside.
2. Cut cheese into 2-inch wide x 1/2-inch thick slices.
3. Heat large non-stick skillet over high heat. When skillet is extremely hot, add cheese and fry 1-2 minutes on each side or until gold brown. Serve immediately. The cheese will be hot but not melted.
4. To serve, drizzle cheese with honey and sprinkle with toasted pistachios. Serve with toasted baguette slices.
*COOK’S NOTES: Made in Greece, kasseri is a semi-hard cheese that is traditionally made with sheep’s or goat’s milk with a sharp, salty flavor and cheddar-like texture. If you can’t find it in your grocery story or specialty shop, substitute another semi-hard sheep’s milk cheese.
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This is my FAVORITE recipe from last year’s fest. Best thing ever!
This was so unexpectedly yummy!!!! A MUST have for sure!!!
OMG. That looks *so* good. I wish I could try it person…
My favorite too! I went back multiple times for this yummy treat! I will be there in exactly one week eating GRIDDLED GREEK CHEESE! Woo hoo!
I LOVED this last year! We found that haloumi cheese was also a good stand in for the kasseri if you can’t find it when making this at home. Ah. SO good.
Does any know if the cheese has a strong flavor like feta or is it a mild cheese like mozzarella?
That’s on the list to try this year.
after successfully trying 2 other disney recipes i think i will have to try this one too.. and this time maybe i will remember to take pics…
Tracy, it’s somewhere in between. It’s salty like feta, but maybe not as pungent? It’s definitely not mild like mozzarella though.
I’ll be there in TWO days! And this is definitely on my list of must-eats!
Thank you Grace! I steered clear of it last year but everyone seems to say it was amazing so was thinking of trying it. I’ve never like strong cheese and really don’t care for feta, goat or blue cheese because of how strong they are. I think if I’m not unbelievably stuffed I will give it a try but it won’t be first on the list.
I think I was personally responsible for a sellout or two last year … one of my favorites.
Tracy, I’d compare it to a Swiss cheese or Gruyere. It has the same melty qualities, and complexity of flavors. I don’t liked stinky or strong cheeses either. I can’t stand blue cheese or many other adventurous cheeses. But I really enjoy this one – it’s not too scary, I promise.
I agree with Aydin! It’s a not-too-soft cheese that has flavor, but isn’t too powerful.
OMG we were just there on Wednesday and had this WONDERFUL treat! It was amazing 🙂