Description
The Sfela PDO is a semi-hard cheese produced with sheep's or goat's milk or with a mixture of both; very rarely though is only caprine milk used.
Production Area
The production area of the Sfela PDO is within the prefectures of Messinia and Laconia, in the southern Peloponnese.
Production Method
The milk is curdled at a temperature of 30-32°C. Successively, the curdle is separated, heated to 38-40°C, and put to drip in special cloths. The paste obtained that way is first pressed lightly by hand, to acquire a better shape, and then with wooden boards and various weights for approximately 40-50 minutes. It is then cut in stripes or in wide slices ranging from 3 cm to 7 cm (Sfela pats), which are salted on the surface with kitchen salt. The cheese obtained is immersed in pickle, at room temperature and at a density of 20 degrees Baumé for one month. Then it is transferred to a refrigerator at a temperature of 4-5°C, where it is left for about three months, until ripening is concluded. The containers used more often to place the cheese in pickle and successively in the refrigerator are wood barrels, which can hold up to 65 kg of cheese, or metal jars; special containers (touloumia) are hardly used - these are made with sheepskin or more rarely with goat skin, which has bigger pores.
Appearance and Flavour
The Sfela PDO is a cheese with small and widespread holing, a rectangular shape, no rind and a light yellow paste. Its flavour is salty and strong, and it is characterised by a rather sour smell.
History
The Sfela PDO is a cheese that has been known for more than a century. The first pieces of evidence on its production were identified in the area of Messinia in the southern Peloponnese.
Gastronomy
The Sfela PDO should preferably be kept in the refrigerator or, in any case, in a cool and dry place. It can be eaten both raw and cooked. In the first case, it has a very delicate taste, which becomes more intense if cooked. It can be eaten plain as table cheese, but can also be used as ingredient to flavour salads or served with typical dishes from the local gastronomy. It is perfect with both red and white wines, especially those originating from the production area.
Marketing
The product is sold as Sfela PDO. It is marketed whole or in pre-packaged pieces.
Distinctive Features
The Sfela PDO is very similar to the famous Greek cheese Feta PDO, with which it shares a very similar processing method. It is not a coincidence that the Sfela PDO is also called feta tis fotias (fire feta), since, differently than the feta, the curd is half-cooked. Furthermore, its name is due to the manner in which it is cut; in fact, "sfela" means stripe.
