How about this fresh and exciting whipped feta and ricotta dip with mint pistachio pesto? Perfect for a special meal or for your holiday table. Serve with crackers, breadsticks or flatbread.
These Cheese Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Prosciutto are another perfect addition to a party spread!
As we get later in the year, it becomes ever more important to have a few fresh, fun ideas for the perfect party spread. And I know that you feel the same because of the requests for new appetisers and nibbles I get every year!
This is something I love so much because tasty party food is what holidays are all about! It’s also a great way to break away from over familiar flavours and textures.
On that note, I decided to bring to you this Middle Eastern mezze spread, highlighted by stunning Whipped Feta and Ricotta Dip!
What is mezze?
Middle Eastern food is everywhere in London and people can’t get enough! Fresh and exciting flavours and a super fun way to eat since ‘mezze’ is another word for a small dish. It is an appetiser of sorts, widely used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines.
This kind of spread might sound a bit exotic but is easier to put together than you think! We all know and love hummus, right? Hummus definitely belongs in a mezze spread.
Another great mezze, the one you see in the photo is smoky baba ganoush. Just sprinkle it with a bit of pomegranate seeds for a festive touch and extra texture and flavour! And don’t forget to add fresh flatbread for dipping. I like making my own but you can also purchase it.
What I am sharing today is my newest favourite. I tried something similar in a restaurant and was determined to recreate it at home. I don’t think the version I tried had ricotta but I found it to be less astringent than adding plain yogurt.
Whipped feta dip
I love feta but I usually use it as a salad topping, so not very adventurously. Two summers ago in Greece I noticed that feta was taking up a good third of a supermarket on one of our shopping trips.
I figured there had to be more ways to include this delicious cheese in my recipes. This dip came from an attempt to be more creative with feta.
If you find the taste of feta to be too strong, this dip will reveal that feta is more than just salty. Combining it with creamy ricotta and topping with a flavourful mint and pistachio pesto opens up new flavour notes that were missed behind all the salt.
So creamy and velvety smooth this dip served with naan or any other flatbread will not disappoint!
Whipped Feta and Ricotta Dip with Mint Pistachio Pesto
Ingredients
- 200 g / 7oz feta cheese
- 100 g / 3.5oz ricotta cheese
- 60 ml /1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- salt to taste
For the mint pistachio pesto
- 1 tbsp fresh mint chopped
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp pistachios chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp coarse salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- In a food processor or a blender combine all the dip ingredients and blend until smooth, salt to taste if needed. (Omit salt if your feta is very salty.)
- To make the mint pistachio pesto, combine chopped mint, lemon juice, 1 tbsp pistachios and coarse salt in a mortar and turn them into a paste using a pestle or the back end of a rolling pin, add oil gradually while stirring until you have the consistency of a pesto.
- To serve transfer the whipped feta and ricotta dip onto a plate and spoon the pesto over it, sprinkle with the remaining pistachios.
Leave a Reply