Spicy Greek Cheese Spread (Tyrokafteri)
As I write this post, hurricane Sandy (not meant to touch land until this evening) is already being felt in NYC. We were in the city last night for a wedding and stayed overnight but by 9am it was almost next to impossible to get a cab…thankfully, though, we managed to hail one. So with that in mind, this will be a short posting as Long Island is already without power and we’re not too far north from there.
Serves 4 to 6 as a meze
adapted from The Country Cooking of Greece
455g (1 lb) soft Greek feta, crumbled
120ml (1/2 cup) thick Greek yogurt
120ml (1/2 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
1 to 3 small chili peppers, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
pita bread or crackers for serving
Combine feta, yogurt, oil, and chili peppers in a food processor and process until smooth. Add lemon juice to taste. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to allow flavors to develop.
The Culinary Chase’s Note: The author recommends as a variation to add garlic and fresh herbs (thyme and oregano) which I think I will try next time. Enjoy!
Great looking Tyrokafteri or as the north Greeks call it, Htipiti. I also like adding some ricotta in the mix.