Tyrokafteri - Greek ** Hot **pepper Cheese Dip

Um Safia's Note:

This is a traditional recipe for Tyrokafteri, which is a specialty of the region of Thrace in northeastern Greece. This particular recipe comers from Nancy Gaifyllia, who says "My family likes this one hot, so I use jalapeno peppers that make my eyes water just from touching them. This recipe works with red and green peppers. Mild or hot, this is a delicious dip." 4 ingredients & 3 steps - there's not much easier than that ;) Posted for ZWT 4.

• Total Time: 5 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 bowl

• 1/2 lb feta cheese
• 1 chili pepper (mild to hot, depending on preference)
• olive oil
• parsley (to garnish)

Directions:

1. Crumble the feta into small pieces using a fork.
2. Sauté the pepper in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the skin is lightly browned. Remove the stem and discard, and chop the pepper into very small pieces.
3. Using a mortar and pestle, add the pepper and the oil it was sautéed in to the cheese and mash until smooth, adding additional olive oil if needed to bring it to the consistency of a thick (but not stiff) dip. Serve garnished with a bit of parsley.
4. Alternatively: Put the cheese, pepper, and oil from sautéeing in the blender and mix, adding more olive oil if needed to bring to the correct consistency.
5. (Note: If you have a pepper that's too hot, slit it open down one side under running water and remove and discard the white internal membrane. Pat the pepper dry before sautéeing.).

Reviews

[Dr. Jenny]

I was in a rush on Christmas day and needed an appetizer that would be quick to make to take to my family gathering. You can't get much simpler than just four ingredients! I had to halve the recipe because I only had 1/4 lb of feta. However, I kept the olive oil and chile pepper proportions as listed. I used one serrano chile for 1/4 lb of feta and I thought this was perfect. Therefore, I would think that a half pound might need 2 serranos. I put the ingredients in my food processor and viola! it was ready. I garnished with chopped parsley and a few parsley sprigs. Everyone loved it. Thanks!

[Lalaloula]

Mmmmmm, creamy, cheesy and yummy! The perfect dip for veggies and so easy to make, too. I made about 1/4 of the recipe for just my sis and me, but used a whole chili pepper, which was really nice. I folded some of the parsley into the dip for added crunch, colour and taste. THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this wonderful dip with us, Um Safia! I cant wait to make it again! Made and reviewed for I Recommend Tag Game May 2010.

[A Good Thing]

In a word...DELICIOUS!! The whole family raved and raved about this. Next time I will make a double batch. Made for ZWT4. Photo to come. (-: