🧀 Sfela
Also known as: Σφέλα
Sfela is a semi-hard PDO cheese in brine, of sheep's or goat's milk, from Messenia and Laconia in the southern Peloponnese.
Sfela is a semi-hard Greek cheese from the southern Peloponnese, matured and stored in brine. It is traditionally made from sheep's or goat's milk or a mix of the two in the prefectures of Messenia and Laconia. It has been known for over a hundred years, and the name has been protected in the EU as a PDO since 1996. 13
Why it looks this way. The milk is coagulated at 30–32 °C, and the curd is broken up, heated to 38–40 °C and left to drain in cloth. The mass is lightly pressed and cut into strips or slices that locals call sfelides. The slices are then salted on the surface. 3
Brine in two stages. First the cheese spends a month in vessels of 20 °Bé brine at room temperature. It then moves to the cold, at 4–6 °C, for at least three months until maturing is complete. It is not taken out of the liquid: it both matures and is stored in brine. 3
Where it comes from. The cheese is made using traditional methods and must mature within the defined area. The milk comes from the goat and sheep breeds traditionally raised here. Control rests with the agriculture directorates of Messenia and Laconia, in Kalamata and Sparta. 3
Sfela or feta? People often put the two side by side, so here is what sets sfela apart. The milk is sheep's or goat's, or a mix. The curd is drained in cloth, lightly pressed and cut into strips called sfelides, and the slices are salted on the surface. Then comes brine in two stages: a month at room temperature, then at least three months at 4–6 °C. The cheese matures and is stored in the liquid. The name belongs only to Messenia and Laconia; a similar cheese from elsewhere cannot use it.
Look for the name “Sfela” with the EU PDO mark (protected designation of origin), the control mark ΣΦΕ, a serial number and the production date. Because the cheese lives in brine, it is usually sold from the brine at a cheese counter or delicatessen, or packed in it. A similar brined cheese from another region may not carry the name Sfela, so a pack without these marks is not the protected cheese.
Why it matters to you. On the pack, look for the name Sfela with the PDO mark, the control mark ΣΦΕ, a serial number and the production date. Brine makes the cheese salty, so use less salt in any dish it goes into. The name is tied to Messenia and Laconia: a similar cheese from another region cannot use it. 3
Facts
| Raw material | Sheep's or goat's milk, or a mix of the two |
|---|---|
| Country | Greece |
| Region | Messenia and Laconia, Peloponnese |
| Duration | 1 month in brine, then at least 3 months at 4–6 °C |
| Legal basis | EU PDO since 21.06.1996, PDO-GR-0436 1 |
How it connects to Cheese
🧀 Sfela ← gives ← 🔄 Curdling → gives → 🧀 Cheese
Links
- Made from which milk
- 🥛 Sheep's milk, 🥛 Goat's milk
- How it is made
- 🔄 Curdling, 🔄 Ripening
- What is needed
- 🧂 Salt
- What it contains
- 🧪 Milk fat
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 Greeks, 🌍 Southern Europe
- Part of
- 🧂 Brined cheeses, 🇬🇷 Greek cheeses, 🏷️ Protected cheese names
Frequently asked questions
What is Sfela cheese?
A semi-hard Greek cheese from the southern Peloponnese, matured and stored in brine, made from sheep's or goat's milk or a mix of the two.
Where is Sfela made?
In the southern Peloponnese, in the prefectures of Messenia and Laconia.
How long does Sfela stay in brine?
A month in 20 °Bé brine at room temperature, then at least three months at 4–6 °C. It is never taken out of the liquid.
Is it true that Sfela is a new cheese?
No. An EU document says it has been known for over a hundred years, and the name has been a PDO since 1996.
Is Sfela salty?
Brine makes it salty, so use less salt in any dish it goes into.
What to read next
- 🥛 Sheep's milk — The richest in protein and calcium of the common milks; almost all of it goes into cheese.
- 🧪 Milk fat — ~3.5% in cow's milk.
- 🔄 Curdling — Rennet coagulates casein into a curd (the basis of cheese).
- 🌍 Southern Europe — The Mediterranean south of Europe — Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal: sheep's and goat's milk cheeses and most of the world's olive oil.
- 🧑🤝🧑 Greeks — The people of Greece, in the south of the Balkans and on Mediterranean islands; olives grown for over 4,000 years, with olive oil, feta and wine.
Similar
🧀 Kalathaki Limnou · 🧀 Batzos · 🧀 Anevato · 🧀 Graviera Kritis · 🧀 Pichtogalo Chanion · 🧀 Formaella Arachovas Parnassou
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.
Sources
- eAmbrosia — Σφέλα / Sfela (PDO-GR-0436)
- Commission Regulation (EC) No 1107/96
- Sfela PDO: summary of the specification, Ministerial Decision 313056/17.1.94 (EU register, FR)