Whipped Feta
About the Recipe:
This addictive dip is an interpretation of a typical hot pepper and feta spread eaten as a mezze in the Middle East and Greece. It’s important to use a good creamy feta, such as sheep’s milk French feta, so that it will whip up very smoothly
Adapted from Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean by Ana Sortun
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound sheep's or goats' milk French feta cheese, drained and broken into rough ½ inch pieces
2 medium red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped, then drained of excess juice
2 teaspoons Aleppo chilies, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon Urfa chilies, plus more for garnish
½ teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil.
Toasted pita bread chips or celery sticks, raw fennel sticks or spears of endive as an accompaniment
PREPRATION:
Place all the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and combine so that the sweet and hot peppers coat the cheese.
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, puree the mixture until very smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. The mixture will be quite loose.
Taste for seasonings; for more heat, add more Aleppo chilies; for more smokiness, add more paprika.
Scrape into a bowl and chill at least 30 minutes to set or up to 2 days.
When serving, spoon into a crock and sprinkle with a pinch of all three chilies to garnish and show them off. Serve with toasted pita bread chips, celery sticks, raw fennel sticks or spears of endive and crusty bread.
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Chilling 24 hrs
30 minutes
Serves:
Type:
Meze
8-12 Servings