Cheese Marinated in Spiced Oil
Fresh brined cheese, cut into thick slices and covered in spiced oil, becomes a fragrant appetizer within a week — what Italians call formaggio sott’olio. The oil slowly takes on the flavor of the spices and the cheese, while the cheese soaks up the seasonings: a two-way trade you’ll never get from cheese straight out of the packet.
This is a classic Mediterranean way of keeping dairy, adapted by “KhlibSil” magazine as a simple make-ahead for the holiday table. Feta and small cheese balls are stored the same way across southern Italy and Greece, with chili, thyme, or sun-dried tomatoes in the oil. The recipe’s “brynza” is a firm, salty brined sheep’s- or cow’s-milk cheese — Greek feta is the closest supermarket match for US and UK cooks.
Cook’s notes
Use a firm cheese that holds its shape — feta, brynza, or Adyghe; soft curd cheese (like ricotta or farmer cheese) melts into the oil. Sterilize the jars, and keep the cheese fully submerged, since any piece poking above the oil can spoil. Toss in garlic, lemon zest, or sun-dried tomatoes for more aroma. Later, crumble the cheese over a Greek or Caesar salad, and use the perfumed oil to dress greens or drizzle over pan-fried fish. Keeps in the fridge up to two months.
Part of Ukrainian cuisine — 447 more recipes in the section.
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Ingredients
Instructions
Cut the cheese into thick slices.
Layer it into sterilized jars in layers: cheese and spices.
Fill the jars to the top with oil and seal.
Store in the refrigerator for no more than two months. The cheese is ready to eat after a week.
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