Kefalotyri

Kefalotyri (or Kefalotiri) (Greek: κεφαλοτύρι) is a hard, salty yellow cheese made from sheep milk and/or goat's milk in Greece and Cyprus, although, a similar cheese Kefalograviera, which is made with cow's milk, or a mixture of sheep and cow is sometimes sold outside Greece and Cyprus as Kefalotyri^[1]. Depending on the mixture of milk used in the process the color can vary between yellow and white.

In taste it vaguely resembles Gruyere, except it is harder and quite saltier. A very hard cheese, kefalotyri can be consumed as is, fried in olive oil for a dish called saganaki, or added to foods such as spaghetti, meat, or cooked vegetables, and is especially suited for grating. It is also used along with feta cheese in the vast majority of recipes for Spanakopita, where many recipes say to substitute romano or parmesan if kefalotyri cannot be obtained. This is a popular and well-known cheese, establishing its roots in Greece during the Byzantine era.^[2] It can be found in some gourmet or specialty stores in the U.S. and other non-Greek countries. Young cheeses take two to three months to ripen. An aged kefalotyri, a year old or more, is drier with a stronger flavour, and may be eaten as a meze with ouzo, or grated on food.^[3]

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