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4 cups
honeydew melon, cubed
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8 oz
Turkish white cheese, sliced
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1/4 cup
fresh mint leaves, torn
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2 tsp
extra virgin olive oil
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2 pinches
black pepper, cracked
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1
Arrange the 4 cups cubed honeydew melon on a platter.
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2
Place the 8 oz sliced Turkish white cheese beside the melon.
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3
Garnish with the 1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves.
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4
Drizzle with 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with 2 pinches cracked black pepper.
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About Kavun ve Beyaz Peynir
Also called: melon and white cheese, kavun peynir, rakı masası kavun peynir
Kavun ve beyaz peynir means "melon and white cheese" in Turkish. Kavun is melon (the Turkish word for strawberry is çilek, so "kavun ve çilek" means "melon and strawberry", a flavor name on some bottled iced teas, not this dish). Beyaz peynir is Turkish white cheese, a brined sheep or cow milk cheese similar to feta.
The pairing is the most classic plate on a Turkish rakı table: cold, sweet melon cut into cubes or wedges beside slices of salty white cheese. It is eaten as a meze through long summer meals. The dish is assembled, not cooked. Honeydew is used here because it is easy to find outside Turkey; in Turkey a sweet green- or white-fleshed kavun such as Kırkağaç is usual.
Serving and keeping
Serve cold as meze with rakı or as a light summer lunch with bread. Cut just before serving.
Variations
With watermelon
Karpuz peynir uses chilled watermelon instead of melon, common in high summer.
Kasseri
Use kaşar cheese for a milder, firmer pairing.
With walnuts
Add a few walnut halves to the platter.
If it goes wrong
The melon is bland
Choose a melon that is heavy for its size and smells sweet at the stem end; chill it well before cutting.
The cheese is too salty
Soak the slices in cold water for 20 to 30 minutes and pat dry before plating in step 2.
The platter gets watery
Keep the melon and cheese side by side rather than layered, as in step 2, and drizzle the oil just before serving.
Substitutions
- Turkish white cheese: Bulgarian or Greek feta. Greek feta is saltier and crumblier; Bulgarian is creamier.
- honeydew melon: cantaloupe or Galia melon. Cantaloupe is more fragrant and softer.
Questions
What is Kavun ve Beyaz Peynir?
A classic Turkish combination of sweet chilled melon and salty white cheese. Served as a simple, refreshing meze dish. This reference files it under Turkish appetizer: made without cooking, rated easy and about 10 minutes start to finish.
Can I make Kavun ve Beyaz Peynir dairy-free?
Yes. The dairy in Kavun ve Beyaz Peynir is 8 oz Turkish white cheese, sliced. Swap the cheese for a plant-based melting cheese (expect a milder flavor). The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.
Is Kavun ve Beyaz Peynir low-carb?
A serving of Kavun ve Beyaz Peynir carries 18 g of carbohydrate, 2 g of it fiber. Against a strict 20 g keto day that is 90 percent of the budget; against a moderate 100 g low-carb day it is 18 percent.
How many calories are in Kavun ve Beyaz Peynir?
One serving (the recipe makes 4) is about 180 calories, with 7 g protein, 18 g carbohydrate and 10 g fat, plus 2 g fiber and 480 mg sodium. The figures are estimates computed from the ingredient list.
How do I store and reheat Kavun ve Beyaz Peynir?
Refrigerate what is left of Kavun ve Beyaz Peynir within two hours and eat it within three days. It is served cold; there is nothing to reheat.
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