24/03/2020
Two day's ago I went to my fridge and found some Akkawi cheese that I bought to make Kunefe (a heavenky Turkish desert made with cheese, sugar syrup and some other delicasies). I decided not to make Kunefe but to put the cheese to use in a different way. Akkawi cheese is named after the port City of Akka, and the name means "from Akka". It is commonly made with pasteurized cow's milk but goat's milk and sheep's milk are also used to produce Akkawi cheese, a cheese which is mainly produced in the Middle East
Akkawi cheese is hand-packed into square draining hoops and then cured in a salted whey brine for two days.
People from this region usually eat Akkawi with soft flatbread during lunch or dinner.
I love the salty taste of Akkawi and decided to cut the cheese into small squares and preserve it in olive oil, rosemary, garlic and lemon. After two days of preservation, I used the Akkawi squares in a soup. The Akkawi has a firm texture but when added to the hot soup it becomes soft and melts in your mouth. I also used some of the preserved oil to fry eggs and added Akkawi squares to the pan while frying the eggs. The Akkawi resembles Halloumi but without the squeakiness. When Akkawi is lightly fried, it caramelizes on the outside but stays soft on the inside.
Akkawi is one of my favourite Middle Eastern cheeses and can be used in a variety of ways. It is available at all the local supermarkets.
