This irresistible Greek appetizer combines the salty richness of feta cheese with crispy phyllo dough, creating a golden-brown masterpiece. When drizzled with honey and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds, these delicate parcels deliver an exciting blend of textures and flavors – from crispy to creamy, and savory to sweet.
Ready in just 20 minutes, these feta cheese wraps make an elegant starter that’s sure to impress your guests while staying true to classic Mediterranean cuisine.
Ingredients
- Feta Cheese: 4 blocks (5x5x1cm), about 350g, patted dry
- Phyllo Pastry: 4 sheets, kept at room temperature
- Sesame Seeds: 2 tablespoons, for garnishing
- Honey: 4 tablespoons, for the sauce
- Red Wine Vinegar: 1 tablespoon, adds tang to sauce
- Water: 1 tablespoon, for sauce consistency
- Olive Oil: As needed for frying
Instructions
- Prepare the Feta: Pat each block dry with kitchen paper to remove excess moisture
- Wrap the Cheese: Cut each phyllo sheet in half, brush with olive oil, layer the halves, and place feta block in center
- Create Parcels: Carefully fold phyllo edges over feta to form neat envelopes
- Heat the Pan: Add enough olive oil to cover half the height of wrapped feta
- Fry the Parcels: Cook until golden and crispy on both sides, then drain on kitchen paper
- Prepare Sauce: Combine honey, red wine vinegar, and water in a small pan until bubbling
- Finish and Serve: Drizzle hot honey sauce over parcels, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve immediately while warm
Cooking Techniques
The key to making perfect phyllo-wrapped feta is getting that golden, crispy outer layer while keeping the cheese soft and melty inside. Keep your oil at medium-high heat – if it’s too hot, the phyllo will burn before the cheese warms through. When wrapping the feta, make your folds neat and tight to prevent the cheese from leaking during frying. A good tip is to press gently on the edges to seal them well.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can wrap the feta in phyllo up to 4 hours before cooking – just keep them covered with a slightly damp kitchen towel in the fridge. The honey sauce can be made earlier in the day too. When you’re ready to serve, simply fry the parcels fresh and warm up the sauce. This makes entertaining so much easier!
Serving Suggestions
These crispy feta parcels are amazing as part of a Greek meze spread! Put them next to some olives, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber slices. Want to make it even fancier? Add a sprinkle of fresh mint leaves on top, or serve with extra honey on the side for dipping. They’re perfect with a glass of crisp white wine or even a light beer.
Quick Substitutions
No red wine vinegar? Regular balsamic works great too! If you can’t find phyllo, you can use spring roll wrappers in a pinch – they’ll give you a different but still yummy crispy coating. Missing sesame seeds? Try crushed pistachios or walnuts for a nutty crunch. The honey sauce is flexible too – maple syrup with a tiny splash of lemon juice makes a tasty alternative.
Feta cheese wrapped with Phyllo, Honey and Sesame seeds
Equipment
- Frying pan
- Kitchen paper
- Slotted spoon
- Small pan
Ingredients
- 4 blocks feta cheese (5x5x1cm), approx. 350g/12 ounces
- 4 sheets phyllo pastry
- 2 tbsps sesame seeds
- 4 tbsps honey
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp water
- olive oil for frying
Instructions
- To prepare this feta cheese appetizer, start by drying the feta with some kitchen paper. Use a knife to cut one phyllo sheet in the middle and brush with olive oil.
- Place the 2 halves of phyllo one on top of each other and in the middle place one block of feta cheese.
- Wrap the block of feta with the phyllo pastry, folding the edges over to form an “envelope” with your feta inside it. Continue with the rest of your feta blocks.
- Warm up your frying pan heat on high heat. Add a good glug of olive oil, enough to cover half of your feta and phyllo blocks.
- Fry your filo wrapped feta on both sides, until golden and crispy. Using a slotted spoon remove from the pan and let them rest on some kitchen paper.
- Heat up a small pan, add the the honey, the red wine vinegar, the water, stir and bring it to a boil.
- Drizzle the feta envelopes with the honey sauce and sprinkle with some sesame seeds. Serve while still hot and enjoy one of the most delicious traditional Greek feta cheese appetizers!