🧀 Manouri

Manouri is a Greek whey cheese with a protected designation of origin (PDO). The Ministry of Agriculture recognised the name in 1994 (Decision 313028), and it became an EU PDO on 21 June 1996. It is made from the whey left after making cheese from sheep's or goat's milk, or a mixture of the two, to which sheep's or goat's milk or cream may be added.

The raw materials must come exclusively from Thessaly and from Central and Western Macedonia. The milk comes from sheep and goat breeds traditionally reared in the area, and the milk that yields the whey must be curdled within 48 hours of milking.

The whey is filtered or centrifuged to remove curd particles, and milk or cream is added so that the fat content is at least 2.5%. It is heated with constant stirring to 88-90 C within 40-45 minutes. At 70-75 C about 1% sodium chloride is added, together with sheep's or goat's milk or cream in a proportion of up to 25%. The curd is held at 88-90 C for 15-30 minutes, moved into cylindrical cloth bags, drained for 4-5 hours and kept at 4-5 C until sale.

Manouri or feta, halloumi, ricotta? Searches pair them, so compare by method. Manouri is a Greek PDO whey cheese: the whey left after sheep's or goat's milk cheesemaking is filtered, milk or cream is added to reach at least 2.5% fat, and it is heated to 88–90 °C, salted and drained for 4–5 hours in cloth bags. The result is white and compact, with no rind or holes and at least 70% fat in dry matter. For feta, halloumi or other cheeses, check their own specification: the name and the PDO logo say more than the look.

Look for the name “Manouri” (Greek Μανούρι) with the EU PDO symbol (protected designation of origin) and Greece as the origin. The cheese is a white, compact cylinder without rind or holes, and it is kept at 4–5 °C until sale, so expect it in the chilled section. The specification allows no colourants, preservatives or antibiotics. You will find it at a supermarket cheese counter, a Greek delicatessen or a cheesemonger.

The specification sets a maximum moisture of 60% and a minimum of 70% fat in dry matter. Manouri is a soft cheese with a compact structure, usually cylindrical, white and without a rind or holes. Colourants, preservatives and antibiotics are not allowed.