Grilled stuffed thrapsala with Mastelo cheese, red pepper and mint. Or else Greek summer in your plate. For many summer in Greece means a lot of swimming, diving or just relaxing with a cocktail on the beach. More or less this is Greek summer to me too. You just have to add to the above equation a lot of food, and when I say food I mean really good Greek food.
I am the person who will google for the best Greek taverna in order to enjoy seafood delicacies across the beach. And since this picture is at this time out of the frame I decided to bring a staple Greek seafood dish a little bit closer.
At first I thought of making stuffed squid, but my fishmonger that particular day had some thrapsala (forgive me, I do not know the right term in English). Thrapsala is a sibling to the squid, both species belong to the family of mollusks, which are found in the Greek seas. Squid is considered superior in taste, which is reflected in its price, which is almost double.
The filling
Since thrapsala seems to lack in good taste I thought of upgrading them a little bit. Lucky my I had some Mastelo cheese in my fridge, a perfect choice for this dish. Why? Well, Mastelo cheese – both cow and goat – has a high melting point and thus it does not “disappear” while grilling.
For instance if you fill a squid e.g. with feta cheese and grill it, then the feta will become almost liquid, while your pan will be filled with juices. The result will be an almost empty squid that may look like it has boiled instead of being grilled.
While, Mastelo cheeses while grilling, they soften and acquire a chewy texture, but they do not melt. So, the final dish will be a really stuffed squid that every bite has the flavors you want.
Recipe notes
In addition to choosing the right cheeses for your filling, you should also pay attention to grilling. You will need medium to high heat and grilling them for about 7 minutes on each side. While, have in mind that thrapsala can become softer if marinated in orange juice from the previous day.
Before you buy them, don’t forget to ask your fishmogner to clean them. Otherwise, before filling them, you will have to slice off the head and remove the skin and eyes.
Grilled stuffed thrapsala with Mastelo cheese
Ingredients
- 1 kg thrapsala
- 150 gr cow cheese Mastelo, grated
- 150 gr goat cheese Mastelo, grated
- 1 red pepper, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- lemon juice
Instructions
- Finely chop the filling ingredients into small pieces and add them to a bowl. Mix well.
- By using a spoon fill each thrapsalo with the filling and close the opening with a toothpick.
- Grill them over medium-high temperature for about 7΄ on each side.
- Set aside for 2-3 minutes and cut thrapsala into slices. Serve with olive oil, lemon and fresh mint.
Grilled stuffed thrapsala with Mastelo cheese, red pepper and mint. Or else Greek summer in your plate in less than 20 minutes. And since traveling is off the table this dish will bring Greece to you.
If you are eager about Mastelo cheese you can find below two more recipes that I have created. The Greek shrimp saganaki with Mastelo cheese and the pizza boat with cheese and mushrooms.
I would be thrilled to hear from you. Even more if your make my recipe and post a photo of it. Just don’t forget to share your photo under the hashtag #tetisflakes. Please do not hesitate to comment below or contact me on Instagram, or Facebook or Twitter!
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