Feta is the perfect block of cheese to pan-fry. This dense salty cheese is dipped in egg, coated in Panko, then fried in lemon kissed oil to crispy perfection. The warm peppered honey is the ideal companion for this briny appetizer. Serve with summery cherry tomatoes, lemon zest and basil.
Pan-Fried Feta with Peppered Honey
Servings 6-8
Peppered Honey
1/4 cup honey
1/2-1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
Fried Feta
1 (10-12 ounce) block feta cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
zest from 1 lemon
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
pita chips or bread rounds, for serving
To make the honey. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar.
To make the feta. Whisk the egg in a shallow bowl. Add the Panko to a separate shallow bowl. Dip the feta through the egg, turning to coat, remove and allow any excess to drip off. Dredge the feta through the Panko, turning to coat and pressing gently to adhere.
Heat 3 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet set over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the lemon zest and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute until fried. Remove from the skillet and set aside. To the same skillet add the feta and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer the feta to a serving plate.
In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, basil, and a pinch of salt.
Serve the feta warm, drizzled with honey and topped with fried lemon, thyme, and tomatoes. (I also added kalamata olives). Enjoy with pita chips or bread.
Adapted: halfbakedharvest
