Sesame Halloumi Fries with Aleppo Hot Honey
Crispy sesame Halloumi fries dipped in an Aleppo pepper hot honey . . . this is what dreams are made of. I could go on and on about all the things I love about this: the crispiness from the sesame seeds, the saltiness of the cheese paired with the slightly spicy and sweet honey, etc., etc., etc.!
Yields4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 (8.8-oz [250-g]) packs Halloumi cheese
- 1/2 cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoon (8 g) sesame seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon za’atar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Oil, for frying
- 1 cup (240 ml) honey
- 3 dried red chile peppers
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
Directions
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Cut each block of the Halloumi into eight wedges. If your Halloumi came in a brine, it may be too salty, so soaking in cold water for at least 30 minutes, or longer if needed, will help.
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On a plate, mix together the flour, sesame seeds, sumac, za’atar, oregano, pepper and smoked paprika. Evenly coat each wedge of Halloumi in the flour mixture.
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Heat 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the oil in a shallow pan and fry the wedges on all sides until golden. If you choose to air fry them, cook at 375°F (190°C) for 11minutes, or until golden, and flip once halfway through cooking.
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For the hot honey, combine the honey, chile peppers and Aleppo pepper flakes in a saucepan. Let this come to a boil, and then simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. The longer it simmers, the spicier it’ll be, so the simmer time is up to you! Strain the honey into a bowl and use it as a dipping sauce for the Halloumi wedges.