We’ve been practicing pita (see July 7 post) until we got it down just right. Sure enough, our loaves stay nice and pliable and puff up with an air pocket from edge to edge. The key is searing the first side when you start cooking. But with all that pita, we needed something Greek to spread on it. Wherever we went in Athens, every meze platter had pita with four spreads: hummus, tzatziki (cucumber yogurt), tirokafteri (whipped feta with red pepper), and baba ganoush. We have yet to tackle making our own hummus and we’re reserving baba ganoush for next week’s post. But here are our recipes for the yin and yang of Greek dips or spreads, tzatziki and tirokafteri.
TZATZIKI
This utterly refreshing dip/sauce is a true palate cleanser. Vary the garlic based on how large and pungent your cloves are. While most American recipes call for using dill weed, fennel fronds make the tzatziki taste more authentically Greek. Fronds from wild fennel, which is an invasive weed across much of North America, are perfect.
1 English cucumber
1 cup Greek yogurt
1–2 cloves garlic, finely minced
zest and juice of small lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or dried fennel frond
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
olive oil
fresh mint
Peel cucumber and split lengthwise. Using a spoon, remove seeds. Coarsely grate cucumber and place in sieve or strainer to drain. Press down to get rid of excess fluid.
Combine well-drained cucumber, yogurt, garlic, lemon zest and juice, and fennel frond. Season with salt and pepper. Chill.
When ready to serve, stir in a drizzle of olive oil and some freshly chopped mint.
TIROKAFTERI
Also known as ktipiti, this red pepper spread tastes like the Southern dip known as ‶pimento cheese″ had died and gone to heaven in Greece. We like the red pepper flavor to take the foreground, but if you don’t, use another four ounces of feta and a little more olive oil. A ripe Hungarian wax pepper works nicely for the hot pepper. If you can’t find a good hot pepper, omit and add some dashes of hot sauce to the final mix.
3 sweet red peppers, roasted and peeled
1 small moderately hot red pepper, roasted and peeled
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
12 ounces feta cheese, cut into large chunks
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
Place peppers, olive oil, and vinegar in a food processor and process until smooth. With motor running, add chunks of feta, pausing between additions to make sure mixture remains smooth. Stir in yogurt and process 30 seconds to completely combine. Refrigerate covered for at least an hour to let mixture set.