I was actually introduced to fried cheese at a Polish restaurant. After some research, I found that they are popular in a lot of Slavic etc countries. I am calling this dish “Czech” because it seems to be the more popular name and (arguably) first became popular there.
Ingredients
- Your favorite hard cheese, cut into quite thick “slabs” of 2cm (1″) high. The length and width are up to you, but it’s best to stay below 15cm (6″). The number of slices depends on how hungry you (and whoever you’re feeding) are. In the picture taken, I just about managed the two slices with some chips (fries). The cheese needs to be something with a little taste, like (proper English) Cheddar.
- Flour, enough to coat the cheese just before their egg bath
- 2-3 large eggs, beaten
- Toasted Breadcrumbs
- Salt and other spices to taste
Make It So
- Heat up a pan with oil in it. You want it to be hot enough that the oil is starting to smoke when you start cooking. This is usually called “medium-high” and is three-quarters of the top setting of your stove. [ALTERNATIVE: Pre-heat a deep-fat fryer at 200°C / 400°F.]
- Add the spices you want to the beaten eggs and mix them in. Personally, I added just a touch of salt and a good sprinkling of cayenne pepper (my go-to spice).
- With each slice of cheese you’ve made, roll them around in flour, then dip them into the egg slosh and really get them wet. Then roll them around in the breadcrumbs. Make sure they’re completely covered in the breadcrumbs – repeat the process if necessary.
- Flash-fry each slice, either all together or in batches (your call, based on how big your pan is). I fry about 3 minutes per side, sometimes 4 for a little more “charred”-ness, depending on how naughty I feel! [ALTERNATIVE: deep-fry the slices in the deep-fat fryer for at least 3 minutes. After three minutes, check for the required golden texture and keep going until it’s your favourite colour].
- Take out the slices and serve immediately, either on their own or with some fries, or potatoes, or even a little salad.
Really simple stuff but so yummy!