Fried Cheese Caciocavallo
( Formaggio Fritto – Caciocavallo all’Argentiera - Cacio all’Argintera )
My uncle, Ferdinando, lived all his life in my paternal house. My siblings and I loved him more like a father than an uncle, and he treated us as if we were his own children. In Palermo, we usually had supper at 8 PM, and when it was merenda time—the afternoon snack at about 4 PM—Uncle Ferdinando would ask me and my siblings if we would like to taste the snack he was going to prepare. He would not tell us what he was going to make, and our usual answer was that nobody wanted it!
Zio Ferdinando knew how to prepare only a few dishes, but what he cooked was very tasty and appetizing. One of his specialties was Cacio all’Argintera. This simple dish has exceptional taste and incomparable fragrance. The smell of the cheese, garlic, vinegar and oregano would attract us into the kitchen, and without fail, he would invite the gang to sit with him at the kitchen table and share this appetizing dish accompanied with sourdough panini, which are a Palermo specialty.
- Serving Size4
- Sicilian DelicaciesFried Cheese - Cacio All'Argintera
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 large cloves of garlic, crushed
- 4 slices of Caciocavallo, about ¾ lb (Can be substituted with Mexican frying cheese)
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- Pinch of pepper
- 4 tablespoons vinegar
- ½ tablespoon sugar
Instructions
In a nonstick skillet, heat the oil on medium heat; add the garlic and slices of cheese and lower the heat.
Cook covered for 1 minute, turn the cheese over and cook covered for an additional minute or until golden in color.
Remove skillet from fire, add the oregano and pepper and transfer the fried cheese to the serving dish.
Add the vinegar and sugar into the hot oil, cook for about 1–2 minutes until some of the liquid evaporates.
Cover the cheese with this sweet-sour sauce, use the garlic as garnish and serve immediately with fresh Italian bread.