makes 4 meze servings
The salty, briny flavor of feta goes surprisingly well with honey, a combination that contemporary Greek chefs have been experimenting with for about the last decade. This recipe is a variation on several cheese-based specialties that are traditional Greek mezedes. One of those specialties is saganaki, its most common iteration the pan-fried cheese that is a traditional and popular Greek dish; the other is baked cheese, either crumbled and baked in a small pan, or wrapped in parchment paper or phyllo, sometimes seasoned with herbs, spices, or vegetables. Melting cheese, wrapped in phyllo or not and regardless of the additions, is always a welcome dish on my Greek table!
3 tablespoons extra-virgin Greek olive oil, plus more for greasing
2 sheets (14 x 18-inch / 35 x 45 cm) #7 commercial phyllo, defrosted overnight in the refrigerator, then brought to room temperature
2 (4-inch / 10 cm) square pieces Greek feta, each about ½ inch (1.5 cm) thick
½ to ¾ cup (145 to 215 g) caraway, cumin, or poppy seeds
1 egg white, lightly beaten
½ cup (120 ml) Greek honey
1 small fresh or dried chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon strained fresh lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly oil a small baking dish large enough to hold the two squares of feta.
Take the first phyllo sheet and place it horizontally in front of you on a clean work surface. Brush the phyllo lightly with some of the olive oil. Place a feta square in the middle. Fold in the sides, brushing each unoiled surface of the phyllo with a little of the olive oil and pressing lightly to seal. Repeat with the second phyllo sheet and feta square.
Spread the caraway seeds over a large flat plate. Lightly brush the top of each phyllo-wrapped feta square with a little of the egg white and dip the egg-washed side into the caraway seeds. Place the feta square seed-side up on the prepared baking dish. Repeat to coat the top of the second feta square.
Bake the feta for about 20 minutes, or until the phyllo is puffed and golden.
While the feta is baking, whisk together the honey, chile, and lemon juice in a small bowl.
Remove the feta squares from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Cut each square into two triangles and serve, drizzled with the spiced honey.
For all the ubiquity of dolmades (stuffed, rolled leaves, usually grape leaves) in the Greek kitchen—they are, after all, one of the most iconic Greek mezedes—it is heartening to know that a few places in Greece are home to some of the most unusual renditions of this classic. The most common filling for Greece’s famous stuffed grape leaves is the aromatic combination of onions, rice, fresh herbs, and sometimes pine nuts and/or raisins. Ground beef and rice are also a classic filling, especially in the winter, and the dolmades filled with them tend to be served with béchamel or avgolemono sauce.
But there are a few genuinely unusual regional recipes for stuffed leaves, most of which are found in the island kitchens of the Dodecanese. In Kalymnos, for example, where grape leaves are preserved by drying them like garlands, which to this day still dangle from hooks in country groceries, vegetable mixtures like pumpkin and rice or bulgur wheat and spices are the local filling specialties. I discovered my favorite dolmades recipes in an unlikely place: Rhodes, one of the most heavily touristed islands in Greece, where much of the food one encounters at first glance is, unfortunately, tailored to the tourism industry, with little or no regional character. But leaving the overcrowded capital and venturing into the interior of the island is a journey that reveals some of the most fascinating and original local fare in Greece.
Traditional cooks on the island have long had a penchant for making highly original stuffed leaves. I’ve included two of my favorite recipes: grape leaves filled with fresh broad beans and with mushrooms, respectively. Ground pork and onions are another popular filling for grape or cabbage leaves there.
But the biggest surprise was discovering old recipes from Rhodes for dolmades rolled in leaves other than those plucked off the grapevine. Cyclamen and apricot leaves are also used to make dolmades. I’ve even come across a very old recipe for rolled geranium leaves, cooked in the same pot with translucent, delicious, stuffed rolled onions.
Today, dolmades are open to all sorts of modern interpretations. Even Greek producers of classic dolmades, sold in either cans or vacuum packs, have broadened the range of their product line to include quinoa, bulgur, sriracha, and other ingredients in commercial reinterpretations of this time-honored Greek dish.
