snack, appetizer

Baked Cheese with Oregano

by Irene

Although all the ingredients in this recipe came originally from the Old World, Mexican cooks promptly adopted them and embraced their use while creating this and other dishes of their own; this baked cheese recipe has been around long enough to be considered legitimate by any Mexican gourmand.  Melting cheese is a favourite technique in Mexican cuisine, and makes this baked cheese a delightful appetizer, served with crackers or, as in this post, with toasted slices of crusty bread.

Baked Cheese with Oregano –

Queso al horno con orégano

Printable recipe: Baked Cheese with Oregano

Ingredients

1 piece (300 g, approximately 10 Oz) panela cheese (or other unripened cheese)
2 cloves garlic; minced
2 tsp dry oregano; crumbled
¼ cup olive oil
Sliced bolillo, baguette or other crusty bread; toasted

Place cheese in an oven-proof bowl; scratch and prick cheese surface all around with a fork:

001 prick cheese

Distribute minced garlic and oregano on top, then pour olive oil over, coating the top and letting it drip around the edge:

002 cheese with garlic, oregano and oil

Pre-heat oven to 400 °F (205 °C), and bake cheese for a few minutes, just until it barely softens; serve warm with toasted crusty bread:

003 serve with toast

A slice of the baked cheese spreads easily on a piece of toast previously drizzled with the flavoured oil:

004 drizzle oil on toast then top with cheese

I harvest stems from my oregano plant every summer, before it starts to bloom, and dry them, so I always have a good supply during the cold months for this and other recipes, such as soups, stews and pickled vegetables.

I am bringing my recipe to Thursday Favourite Things #409 with Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn, Marilyn @ Marilyn’s Treats, Pam @ An Artful Mom, Katherine @ Katherine’s Corner, Amber @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home, Theresa @ Shoestring Elegance and Linda @ Crafts a la Mode.

I am also joining Full Plate Thursday # 452 with Miz Helen @ Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

I am sharing at Fiesta Friday # 296 with Angie @ Fiesta Friday.

I am also sharing my recipe at What’s for Dinner? Sunday Link-Up # 121 with Helen @ The Lazy Gastronome.

I felt inspired to share this recipe at Su’s Virtual Afternoon Tea, April 2021; amongst other treats, Su is featuring a platter of figs, crackers and Kikorangi blue cheese, along a glass of wine.

29 thoughts on “Baked Cheese with Oregano”

  1. This is wonderful. I’ve made provoleta before, which pretty much this, including the oregano. And then when we were in Peru last March, we had it so many times at restaurants! It is so good!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. I can’t wait to try this recipe, it looks awesome! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome talent with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great weekend and come back to see us real soon!
    Miz Helen

    Like

    Reply
  10. Pingback: A Veggie Merry Holiday Menu – My Slice of Mexico
  11. Pingback: Virtual Afternoon Tea, April 2021 | Zimmerbitch

Leave a comment