This is a common snack in Eastern Europe, especially in the Czech Republic, the home of pilsener beer, or pils. Any cheesy fried thing is just destined to be tasty, but this is more shameful than most. Batter encases the cheese, making it twice as good (or bad, if you’re a glass-half-empty sort of person). I would serve this with English pickle, cherry jam or even an Indian lime or mango pickle and a pils, of course. Fried cheese and cold pilsener: there IS a god.
Ingredients
- 14 oz (400 g) edam cheese
- 2½ oz/½ cup (75 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 2 eggs
- 3½ oz/1 cup (100 g) stale breadcrumbs
- light olive oil for frying
- sweet pickle, relish and lemon wedges to serve
How to Make It
- Cut the cheese into slices no thicker than 1 cm (½ inch). Put the flour on a plate, beat the eggs in a bowl, and put the breadcrumbs in another bowl.
- Toss the cheese slices in the flour to coat. Dip in the egg, then dredge in the breadcrumbs to coat.
- Pour 1 cm (½ inch) oil into a frying pan and place over high heat. When the oil is shimmering, cook the cheese for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden. Serve hot with sweet pickle, relish and lemon wedges.
