Fried Kashkaval 🧀 Balkan Tavern 🇷🇸 (Prženi Kačkavalj)
By RichardObradovic |
Appetizers |
Balkan |
Oct 11, 2025 |
32 views
Description
Thick slabs of semi-hard cheese, double-breaded and fried to a shattering crust with a molten, stretchy center. Serve with lemon, tartar, or a spoon of ajvar. 🧄🍋
Hook: Chill, bread, hot oil—golden tavern cheese in under 30 minutes. ⚡
Ingredients
- 🧀 Kashkaval (or other semi-hard cow/sheep cheese), cold, 1–1.5 cm thick slices: 400 g (14.1 oz)
- 🌾 All-purpose flour: 60 g (½ cup / 2.1 oz)
- 🥚 Eggs, beaten: 2 large (≈100 g / 3.5 oz)
- 🍞 Dry breadcrumbs: 120 g (1¼ cups / 4.2 oz)
- 🌽 Cornstarch (crispier crust, optional): 15 g (2 tbsp / 0.5 oz)
- 🌶️ Sweet paprika (mix into flour): 2 g (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
- 🧂 Salt: to taste (≈2 g / ⅓ tsp)
- ⚫ Black pepper: 1 g (½ tsp / 0.04 oz)
- 🫒 Neutral oil for frying (5–6 cm depth): 600 ml (2½ cups / 20 fl oz)
- 🍋 Lemon wedges, to serve: 4–6 wedges
- 🫙 Tartar sauce or ajvar, to serve: as desired
Preparation
- 1️⃣ Chill cheese: Cut 🧀 into rectangles; freeze 12–15 min to firm—reduces leaks.
- 2️⃣ Set up dredge: Bowl 1: 🌾 flour + 🌽 cornstarch + 🌶️ paprika + pinch 🧂. Bowl 2: beaten 🥚 eggs. Bowl 3: 🍞 breadcrumbs.
- 3️⃣ Bread: Pat cheese dry. Coat flour → egg → crumbs, then repeat egg → crumbs for a double coat. Rest 5 min.
- 4️⃣ Fry: Heat 🫒 oil to 175–180°C / 345–355°F. Fry in batches 60–90 sec/side until deep golden. Don’t overcrowd.
- 5️⃣ Drain & serve: Transfer to a rack/paper. Season lightly with 🧂. Serve immediately with 🍋 lemon and 🫙 tartar/ajvar.
Total Time
🕒 Prep: 15 min (+ chill 15 min)
🔥 Cook: 8–10 min
⏳ Total: 25–30 min
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