Czech Fried Cheese – Smažený sýr Recipe | Cook Like Czechs (2024)

FAQs

What is the name of the Czech fried cheese? ›

In the heart of Czech culinary tradition lies a dish so comforting and universally loved that you'll find it served from the bustling streets of Prague to the cozy nooks of family kitchens: Czech Fried Cheese, or Smažený Sýr.

Lightly grease a large cast-iron skillet with extra-virgin olive oil, then place over medium-low heat. Spoon 2 tbsp. of cheese onto heated skillet for each 2''-3'' round. Allow cheese to melt and edges to turn golden brown.

“Svíčková” – Czech Republic's national treasure

Svíčková is the name of a specific part of beef meat, but here it also represents the name of the whole dish. It is a traditional sauce made from blended root vegetables and heavy cream, served with bread dumplings and a slice of beef.

Today, it can be found in Latin American cuisine as queso frito or even in American comfort foods like mozzarella sticks. Whether you call it saganaki, queso frito, or simply fried cheese - this delectable treat has stood the test of time and continues to delight taste buds worldwide!

Peanut, canola, or vegetable oil are excellent choices, while oils with low smoking points like butter and olive oil should be reserved for pan frying or sautéing. Use enough oil that you can fully submerge the cheese. Keep an even temperature. For best results with fried cheese, heat your oil to 375°F.

As an added precaution to prevent the cheese from sticking, hit your nonstick pan with a bit of vegetable oil spray. (If you have a high-performance nonstick pan like Zwilling Forte, which allows you to fry items like eggs without oil, you can easily skip this step for a healthier snack.)

But as the weather gets hotter, maybe we should take a look at some cheeses that don't melt. There's a family of semi-firm cheeses — among them, queso panela, queso fresco, paneer, halloumi, feta, cotija, ricotta and soft goat cheese — that won't melt over direct or indirect heat in your kitchen.

In some areas, deep-fried cheese curds are also known as cheeseballs.

GOYA® Queso de Freir is a delicious cheese and a favorite in the Caribbean and Central America. It is commonly used for frying as it does not melt easily, even when exposed to high temperatures. When fried, it forms a delicious golden crust with a smooth and creamy interior.

What: Like a mozzarella stick on steroids, smažený sýr (“sma-zhen-ee seer”), or smazak for short, is a block of cheese, usually Edam, coated in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, and then fried to a crispy golden-brown.

What is popular Czech cheese? ›

Favorite? Jihočeská Niva is a blue cheese made from cow's milk, produced in the South Bohemia region in the Czech Republic since 1951. It must weigh approximately 2,8 kilogrammes and has a washed rind with a semi-waxy finish and blue-green mould on the creamy to light-brown coloured exterior.