No one knows who first thought to fry cheese, but that person was a true culinary genius. Technically, it's not pan-frying—this preparation is better described as deep-frying or coating with breading. The core method is simple: pick a low-fat hard cheese, dip it in milk, coat it in flour, then cook in a very hot, dry skillet. From there, endless variations on breading and cheese types are possible.
Fried cheese was a beloved snack of the celebrated author Charles Dickens. His wife, Catherine Dickens, frequently served it to him alongside morning coffee or for dinner with mashed potatoes. Unsurprisingly, he featured the dish in his debut novel, The Pickwick Papers.
After many years of marriage and raising ten children, the couple decided to separate. One of their joint creative projects was the book What Do We Have for Lunch? Charles Dickens wrote the foreword, while his wife, Catherine, authored the text.
How Charles Dickens Got Even with His Wife Using Fried Cheese (Recipes)
Sadly, after sixteen years of marriage, their domestic bliss ended. Catherine's book had been reprinted several times, but following the divorce, she spitefully removed one of Charles's favorite dishes—fried cheese—from later editions. A perfect form of culinary payback.
We no longer know the exact recipe used in the Dickens household. We can only speculate. There are countless ways to prepare fried cheese, but the main options are presented below.
English-Style Fried Cheese
English-style fried cheese
Ingredients:
- 80 g soft pickled cheese
- 10 g bread crumbs
- 10 g butter
- parsley
Method:
- Coat thick slices of soft cheese with breadcrumbs, place them in a hot skillet with melted butter, and fry quickly over high heat.
- Transfer to a plate and, if desired, sprinkle with chopped parsley leaves.
Tip: For hard cheese, moisten it with milk beforehand so the breading adheres better.
Fried Cheese with Sesame Breading
Ingredients:
- 120 g Adyghe cheese
- 15 g bread crumbs
- 7 g sesame seeds
- 1 egg, vegetable oil
- leaf lettuce
Method:
- Cut the cheese into cubes, dip them in beaten egg, then roll in a mixture of bread crumbs and sesame seeds. Place on a plate and refrigerate for 3 hours.
- Heat a generous amount of oil in a deep skillet until it reaches a high temperature.
- Using tongs, lower the cheese into the hot oil and fry quickly until the breading turns golden brown.
- Remove the fried cheese with tongs, blot on a paper towel, let it cool slightly until comfortable to eat, then arrange on a plate atop a lettuce leaf.
Enjoy your meal!
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