I like feta cheese – mostly in salads or mebbe a pocket sammich – but never thought about turning it into a spread – think jalapeño cream cheese, but without the heat and a bit more edge to it. The nice folk at Southern Living suggest that this goes well alongside roast lamb, but I couldn’t stop spreading it on grilled bagel thins long enough to even think about lamb. I will say, tho, that I thought it made a great starter to those rosemary steaks and garlic kalamata mayonnaise. I’m thinkin’ it might could jazz up a pocket sammich, too…
INGREDIENTS
•4 oz feta
•1 tbsp olive oil
•1-1/2 tsp lemon juice
•3 pepperoncini peppers, drained
•1 clove garlic
•1/4 tsp oregano
•1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper
or 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
Preparation couldn’t be simpler: just crumble the cheese into the bowl of your food processor, add the remaining ingredients and pulse until combined. If you’d like it thinner, add a bit more olive oil until you reach the consistency you prefer.
Turn out into a bowl and stash in the fridge for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to blend. Bring to room temperature before serving.
If you like, add additional olive oil and/or Aleppo pepper as a garnish.
Note: this recipe is a variation on a classic Greek feta spread Htipiti, but without the traditional lemon juice and sun-dried tomatoes. Feel free to add either or both, and mebbe some roasted red pepper as well; but try it this way first. It may not be totally authentic, but it is mighty tasty.