Messina is a part at the southwestern part of Greece at the Peloponnese Peninsula. It has a long history that traces back to the prehistoric period and it was one of the most important centers from which Greek revolution against Ottoman empire has started. It is a place with many natural beauties among which are the beautiful sandy beaches that surround the prefecture.
In this very place, a very special cheese from 100% sheep milk is made called Talagáni. Talagáni in the local dialect means the cape of the shepherd. It is a hard cheese that keeps its shape when baked or cooked. It has a mild salty flavor and a gummy that resembles the Cypriot Halloumi. Kostas Apostolou and his wife Helen are the people behind this new cheese and they have an exclusive patent and a golden award for their innovative creation. The family are of Cypriot descent and after working for years in England they have decided to come to Greece and stay here. They bought a big land at Messina and they started cultivating the land and producing milk. The recipe for this specific cheese is an invention of Helen Apostolou who was making cheese from the remaining of milk every day. As they say, they gave this cheese to friends and family. Nevertheless, every year the demand was growing and eventually in 2007 they decided to concentrate on making Talagáni as their core business.
Today this cheese is exported to Poland, Sweden, USA and Singapore selling over 140 tons per year. The cheese continues to be made with 100% sheep milk from local Greek farms. So, if you ever stumble upon it in a deli or a Greek market do not hesitate to try it. You will be thrilled.
I am going to share a little secret here; I have never tried this particular cheese before or at least I have no knowing of doing so. Why? I don’t know. It just happened. So, when I saw it at the supermarket, I went ahead and bought it to try it. If you manage to find it, do try it it’s a bit different than halloumi. If, nonetheless, you cannot trace it, then halloumi is the best alternative. This cheese matches perfectly with sweet preserves, marmalade or sweet chutney. I used caramelized onions and peppers and onion marmalade to stuff these little bites along of course with Talagáni. They were simply delicious!
Happy Month of May!!
- 20 little puff pastry sheets or 1 puff pastry sheet
- 20 square pieces of talagáni cheese about 20 gr. / 0.7 oz. each 2cmX2cm / 0.8 in. X 0.8 in.
- 2 medium onions or one large, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 3 tbsp onion marmalade or any other marmalade
- 1 egg lightly beaten to wash the puff pastry
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F.
- In a skillet pour some olive oil and in medium heat sauté the onions and the peppers until they are caramelized.
- Add the onion marmalade and let them sauté for a minute or two.
- Remove and set aside.
- Take the puff pastry.
- Place one piece of cheese and above it adds one tsp of the onion/pepper mix.
- Cover and seal the edges.
- Do the same for all pieces.
- If you are using a whole puff pastry sheet, arrange the cheese and onions leaving adequate space in between, seal them and cut them the way we do with raviolis.
- Brush them with the egg and put them in the oven.
- Bake until the puff pastry has taken a beautiful golden color on top.
- Remove let stay for five minutes and serve.
- 20 στρογγυλά ή τετράγωνα φύλλα σφολιάτας ή 1 φύλλο σφολιάτας
- 20 τετράγωνα κομμάτια ταλαγάνι περίπου 20 γρ. Το καθένα με διάσταση περίπου 2cmX2cm
- 2 μέτρια κρεμμύδια ή ένα μεγάλο, κομμένα σε φέτες
- 1 κόκκινη πιπεριά, σε φέτες
- 3 κ.σ. μαρμελάδα κρεμμυδιού ή οποιαδήποτε άλλη μαρμελάδα
- 1 αυγό ελαφρά χτυπημένο για να αλείψετε τη σφολιάτα
- Προθερμαίνετε το φούρνο στους 200°C.
- Σε ένα τηγάνι ρίχνουμε λίγο ελαιόλαδο και σε μέτρια θερμότητα σοτάρουμε τα κρεμμύδια και τις πιπεριές, μέχρι να καραμελώσουν.
- Προσθέτουμε την μαρμελάδα κρεμμυδιού και αφήνουμε να σοταριστούν για ένα λεπτό ή δύο.
- Αφαιρούμε και αφήνουμε στην άκρη.
- Παίρνουμε τη σφολιάτα.
- Βάζουμε ένα κομμάτι τυρί και πάνω από αυτό προσθέτουμε ένα κουταλάκι του γλυκού από το μείγμα κρεμμύδι/πιπεριά.
- Καλύπτουμε και σφραγίζουμε τα άκρα.
- Κάνουμε το ίδιο για όλα τα κομμάτια.
- Εάν χρησιμοποιείτε ένα φύλλο σφολιάτας ολόκληρο, τακτοποιήστε τα αφήνοντας επαρκή χώρο ανάμεσά τους έτσι ώστε να μπορέσετε να τα κόψετε και τα κόβουμε όπως κάνουμε με τα ραβιόλια.
- Αλείφουμε με το αυγό και τα βάζουμε στο φούρνο.
- Ψήνουμε μέχρι η σφολιάτα να πάρει ένα όμορφο χρυσαφένιο χρώμα στην κορυφή.
- Τα βγάζουμε από τον φούρνο, τα αφήνουμε για πέντε λεπτά και μετά τα σερβίρουμε.
