Feta cheese "saganaki" wrapped in crispy phyllo pastry, drizzled with beer & honey syrup

The traditional and famous Greek fried cheese appetizer this time all dressed up in phyllo pastry for extra crispiness! A delicious first or meze dish to enjoy any time of the year! The slightly thick beer and honey syrup gives extra flavour to the wrapped cheese and that semi-sweet taste. Good quality of Feta cheese is the secret here which though you can replace with Manouri cheese

From "BHMAgourmet" magazine of "TO BHMA" newspaper (2012)

Ingredients (for 4 people)

For the syrup:

4 tbsp of honey

1 tbsp of good quality wine vinegar

1 shot-glass of lager beer

corn oil for frying

black sesame seeds to sprinkle (or toasted sesame sees, or crushed coriander seeds)

For the cheese:
4 phyllo pastry sheets, cut vertically in half

4 slices of good quality Feta cheese, cut oblong and of 1 cm thickness

Method:
Put the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan and boil on high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the dressing is slightly thickened. *** Keep an eye on the mixture because beer inflates when it gets warm! When that happens, take the saucepan off the heat briefly and then put it back on.

Put two cut phyllo sheets one on top of the other and place the feta slice at the bottom side leaving a small gap. Lift the sides of the pastry, cover the cheese and then wrap up to the end of the pastry sheet. Repeat the same procedure with the rest of the pastry and the cheese. 

Warm enough oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium heat and when it is well heated, fry the cheese parcels for about 1 minute on each side, until they are lightly golden and crispy. Transfer with a slotted spoon on kitchen paper to drain the excess oil so to remain crispy.

Serve on individual plates or a platter, drizzle on top with the syrup, sprinkle with the seeds and serve immediately while it is still hot.