FETA ME MELE

This filo wrapped baked feta – aka feta me mele – is a stunning Greek mezze made with feta, filo and hot honey. It’s a perfect combination of savory with a hint of sweetness, and is an easy and elegant way to prepare feta. I first tried this dish while on holiday in Greece at Agnanti, a lovely little restaurant on the beautiful island of Skopelos. Agnanti’s version is made with a reduced muscat wine glaze from the island of Samos and was so delicious, I knew I had to recreate it in my kitchen one day!

My first attempt at making these was by shallow frying the feta parcels in a non-stick pan with butter and olive oil. It browned beautifully, although a little too quickly, which resulted in a slightly gummy inside crust as the filo sheets didn’t have enough time to cook through.

A stunning Greek mezze — The perfect combination of savory with a hint of sweetness

My second attempt was much better. I baked the parcels in a hot oven, watching in awe behind my foggy oven-window as the filo sheets puffed up into a flaky, golden-crisp deliciousness. They were perfect (insert chefs kiss).

The filo wrapped baked feta parcels can be assembled in advance, wrapped in clingfilm and frozen for up to a month. Remove from the freezer and brush with melted butter and olive oil before cooking.

Print Recipe

FETE ME MELE

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 blocks of feta cheese (400 grams total), removed from it’s brine and patted dry (do not use crumbled feta here, ideally you’ll want it in a square or rectangular shape)
• 8 sheets of filo pastry, completely thawed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup muscat wine OR 1/2 cup runny honey
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
  
  

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Lay the filo sheets flat on a clean surface and cover with a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out. In a small bowl, mix the melted butter and olive oil.
2. Divide each block of feta by cutting through it lengthwise, creating thinner slices. The goal is to reduce the thickness of the feta so it melts in the pastry quickly. Don’t worry if the feta breaks, you can patch it back together once it’s on top of the filo. If you prefer your feta on the thicker side, then feel free to keep it intact.
3. Gently place one filo sheet on your work surface and lightly brush it with the butter-olive oil mixture. Place one feta block on the filo sheet. Place a second filo sheet on top and brush again.
4. Place the block of feta at the edge of the filo stack. Start by tightly folding the filo over the feta like a package. Brush the entire surface of the filo with the butter and olive oil. Tuck in the edges as you fold. Continue to brush any exposed filo with the butter and oil until the feta is fully wrapped. Make sure to brush the top of the filo package with the remaining butter-olive oil mixture. Repeat with the remaining feta and filo until you have a total of four parcels.
   
   

Bake the feta and prepare the glaze

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Put the wrapped feta parcels on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, seam side down. Make sure to leave two inches between each parcel so they don’t stick together. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the filo is golden brown and crispy.
3. While the feta is baking, place the muscat in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, uncovered. Reduce the het to medium and let simmer until reduced by half (about 5 to 7 minutes) until it has become a thick glaze. Alternatively, heat 1/2 cup of honey in a small saucepan over low heat in place of the muscat. You’re really going to have to watch and use your judgement here so keep an eye out, you want to make sure you have enough glaze to drizzle over each parcel.
4. In a dry skillet, toast the sesame seeds over medium heat, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned.
5. Once the filo wrapped feta is done baking, remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Drizzle generously with the reduced muscat wine or hot honey, kiss with sesame seeds. serve immediately and enjoy!