Spicy Red Pepper & Feta Dip (Htipiti)

I’ve made Debi Isbrandtsen’s Greek Tomato Spread a zillion times, so when she sent Ingrid and me this recipe from Cookie + Kate, I knew right away it was another winner. Yields 1-1/2 cups and is easily doubled.

INGREDIENTS

  • One 8-ounce block of feta cheese, patted dry and cut into 1″ chunks or large crumbles (about 1 ⅔ cups)

  • ½ cup roasted red peppers, patted dry and roughly chopped (1 to 1 ½ peppers)

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for garnish

  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (omit if sensitive to spice)

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Crushed red pepper flakes, for garnishing (optional)

PREPARATION

  1. In the bowl of your food processor, combine the feta, bell pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and about 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper.

  2. Process until the mixture is orange, fairly smooth, and you no longer see any big chunks of feta. Don’t overdo it; small bits of feta are good and over-processing this dip will make it gritty. Taste, and add additional cayenne pepper (up to ¼ teaspoon more) if you want it to be extra spicy. Blend briefly to combine.

  3. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl. Smooth the top and create a few swooshes with a spoon. Lightly drizzle some olive oil on top, and sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for later. This dip will keep well in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days.

RecipesSusan JohnsonComment