Crunch Into These Fried Feta BLT Sandwiches
Food blogger and Instagrammer Dennis Prescott has a cookbook out that's made for breaking your own Instagram records. Dig into Prescott's recipes for comfort food from every corner of the earth, and start with these fried feta BLT sandwiches. It's a labor of love that's worth every moment in the kitchen.
It doesn't get much more classic than a BLT. I was born and raised on a steady diet of classic toasted tomato sandwiches, my father's specialty. Years later, bacon in all its glory entered the equation, dressed to the nines in crispy deliciousness and smelling like a million bucks. Sandwich heaven. It's simple, it's timeless, and it's near perfect. But even the classics need a little upgrade sometimes. This recipe is a fantastic way to bring that magical sandwich into the modern age, with crispy feta cheese, sweet-and-savory maple bacon, and olive oil–grilled bread.
- 8 thick-cut smoked bacon slices
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- Sunflower (or vegetable) oil
- 1 14-ounce block Feta cheese
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup Spicy Herb Homemade Mayo or prepared mayo
- 8 burger-size lettuce leaves
- 1 large tomato
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lay out the bacon on the prepared baking sheet. Baste the bacon with the maple syrup and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, turning the bacon over halfway through, until crispy. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and candy.
- Brush the bread slices on both sides with the olive oil and toast in a large skillet over medium heat until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Set aside.
- In a deep saucepan, heat 1 inch of sunflower oil over medium heat to 350°F.
- Slice the feta lengthwise into 4 long slabs. Prepare three bowls: one with the flour, one with the eggs (whisk them lightly with a fork), and one with a mixture of the panko, oregano, and lemon zest. Coat each feta piece completely by dredging it in the flour, then the eggs, then the panko mixture. Fry the cheese, in batches if necessary, until golden brown, 1 1/2 minutes per side.
- Build each sandwich on the sourdough bread with 1 tablespoon of the mayo, 2 lettuce leaves, a slice of tomato, 2 slices of bacon, and a piece of fried feta.