Greek Cheese Croquettes (Tirokroketes)
Τυροκροκέτες TirokroketesSay it: tee-roh-kroh-KEH-tes
Tirokroketes are crisp, golden Greek cheese croquettes, a staple of the meze table in tavernas and homes across Greece. Finely grated hard cheese is bound with egg, breadcrumbs and a little flour, scented with mint or parsley, then rolled, crumbed and fried until the shell crackles and the inside turns molten and salty. They are served hot, usually with a squeeze of lemon, alongside ouzo or a cold beer, and they disappear faster than anything else on the table.
Greek Cheese Croquettes (Tirokroketes)
Τυροκροκέτες, Tirokroketes
Pronounced tee-roh-kroh-KEH-tes
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Croquettes
For frying and serving
Method
Put the grated cheese in a bowl with the eggs, 1 cup (100 g) breadcrumbs, 3 tbsp (25 g) flour, the mint or parsley, pepper and nutmeg if using. Mix with your hands until it comes together as a soft, sticky, evenly flecked mass — it should hold when squeezed.
Cover and chill the mixture for 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours, so the breadcrumbs absorb moisture and the mix firms up enough to shape.
Lightly dampen your palms and roll walnut-sized pieces into small cylinders about 2 inches (5 cm) long and 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, setting them on a tray.
Roll each croquette lightly in the remaining flour, tapping off the excess so only a thin dusting remains.
Beat nothing further. simply dip each floured croquette in the remaining beaten egg (whisk the second egg in a shallow bowl first), then press it into the extra breadcrumbs until fully and evenly coated.
Chill the crumbed croquettes for 15 minutes — this keeps them from splitting in the oil.
Heat the oil in a deep pan to 350°F (175°C). A breadcrumb should sizzle gently and rise to the surface. Fry in batches of 5 or 6 for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and the crumb coating looks crisp and dry.
Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Keep the finished batches warm in a low oven while you fry the rest.
Serve immediately with lemon wedges to squeeze over.
Regional variants
Some tavernas add a cup of mashed potato to the cheese mix for a softer, milder croquette, binding with less flour. On Crete and the islands, chopped wild greens or a little dried oregano often replace the mint.
Cook's notes
- Do not add salt: kefalotyri, graviera and feta are already salty enough.
- If the mixture feels too loose to shape, work in another tablespoon of breadcrumbs and chill again rather than adding flour, which toughens the crust.
- Keep the oil at a steady 350°F (175°C); too hot and the crumbs darken before the cheese softens, too cool and the croquettes drink oil.
Serve with
Lemon wedges, a bowl of thick yogurt or tzatziki, and ouzo, tsipouro or a cold lager.
Make ahead and storage
Shape and crumb the croquettes up to a day ahead and refrigerate, or freeze them on a tray; fry from chilled or frozen (add 1 minute) and never reheat once fried.
