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Anthotyro - Greek Cheese

From , former About.com Guide

Soft Anthotyro

Soft Anthotyro

© Jim Stanfield
Anthotyro is a white whey cheese, a variation of and similar to myzithra, made from sheep's and goat's milk.

Greek name and pronounciation:

ανθότυρο, pronounced ahn-THOH-tee-roh

Alternate spelling: anthotiro

At the market:

Like myzithra, anthotyro comes in a soft, fresh version (see photo #1) that has a light lemon flavor, and in dryer (aged) form (photo #2) which is semi-hard and saltier.

Nutritional Information per 100 grams (3.5 ounces)

  • Calories: 318
  • Protein: 10 grams
  • Carbohydrates: 2 grams
  • Fat: 30 grams

Using Anthotyro:

Soft anthotyro is often called the Greek cream cheese because of its taste. It is more granular in texture. It is traditionally used as a table or dessert cheese and as an ingredient in stuffed pies (pitas). It goes well with fruits such as figs, pears, and apples.

Aged anthotyro is used as a grated cheese in egg, potato, and pasta dishes.

At the Oia 1800 Restaurant on the island on Santorini, the menu features a Caesar salad "à la Grecque" consisting of sun-dried mackerel, anthotyro, chick peas, and sun-dried tomatoes.

Costas Spiliadis, owner and chef of Estiatorio Milos, a restaurant in New York City, offers a dessert using small balls of anthotyro, mint, and honey.

Thalassinos, a fish taverna in Athens, serves a delicious kataïfi with anthotyro, a pastry soaked in syrup and served hot.

Substitutes for Anthotyro:

Consider manouri, soft myzithra, cream cheese with a little feta, or ricotta for soft anthotyro, and aged myzithra (xynomyzithra) or ricotta salata for the hard version.

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