feta cheese Archives - Proud Italian Cook

Creamy Feta Dip with Toasted Pita Chips

December 29, 2020 by Marie 6 Comments

Everyone needs a go-to dip to have for a special occasion, one that requires little work but tastes like a million bucks! NYE is a couple of days away and then game day will be right around the corner, so I thought it would be the perfect time to introduce this creamy feta dip with toasted pita chips.

This dip is so creamy and full of flavor, a little swipe goes a long way. Feta cheese is the shining star along with Greek yogurt and some cream cheese, it’s the perfect blend for a nice smooth dip.

The feta dip itself can be served with an array of fresh sliced veggies, for a healthier version or with my favorite dipper, these toasted pita chips.

I was introduced to this way of preparing the pita chips by a friend of mine years ago, she made it for a girls lunch and we just couldn’t tear ourselves away from them. The chips are thin and crispy but yet sturdy enough to hold up well when dipping.

I’ve made them many times since and they’re always a hit!

One bag of pita yields so many chips! You’re going to cut the pita into 6 or 8 strips with scissors, then snip the tops and end off so you can open it up.

One strip will give you 2 thin pieces. So for 1 whole pita you can get 12 to 16 chips out of it, so if you do a whole bag that’s quite a few chips!

Then place the inside rougher side up on a baking sheet and brush each strip with oregano infused olive oil.

I think what makes these so special is definitely the shape and the thinness, as opposed to the thicker triangle shaped ones, and of course the olive oil flavor coming through. I can’t say enough about these dippers, they’re amazing!

They’re the perfect accompaniment to the creamy feta dip. But don’t get me wrong, honestly they go well with any dip! Think crab, shrimp, hummus, white bean, onion, spinach artichoke, I could go on and on.

I garnished the top of my dip with olive oil, parsley, red pepper flakes, pistachios and olives but be creative and do what you like.

I would encourage you to take the time and make these chips, you won’t be disappointed, it’s the ultimate combo along with the creamy feta dip.

They can be made well in advance and they stay perfect for up to 3 weeks, that is if they last that long! Once you put them out you’ll see them disappear!

I like to store them in a tin can layered between wax paper.

Enjoy!

Creamy Feta Dip with Toasted Pita Chips

This dip recipe can be doubled because it stays very well in the fridge, and the dipper chips can be made well in advance.

Author: Marie

Ingredients

8 oz. feta, good quality Greek in brine, patted dry
4 oz. full fat cream cheese, room temp
¼ cup full fat plain Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons of oregano infused olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, grated
FOR THE TOASTED PITA CHIPS
1 bag of fresh, Greek pita
¾ cup of olive oil
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
a light sprinkling of kosher salt to top the chips before toasting

Instructions

In a small bowl add the oil and oregano together and let it sit for 15 minutes to infuse.
Then in food processor first add the feta to break it down, then add in the cream cheese, yogurt, lemon juice and garlic.
Give it all a whirl until it's nice and creamy.
Remove from processor and place into a serving bowl and garnish with a little of the olive oil, parsley, lemon zest, olives or whatever you like.
If making the pita chips, take 1 pita at a time, with a scissor cut 6 to 8 strips then snip the top and bottom off of each strip so you can gently open up the pita and have 2 pieces. (See blog post for example)
Continue cutting the pita into chips then brush each one on the inner rough side with the oregano infused olive oil.( see blog post for visual)
Place onto a rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle them all lightly with a little kosher salt, then into a 400 degree oven for 7 or 8 minutes until golden. Ovens vary so watch closely, you want them golden not burnt, they cook fast.
Remove chips and place on a rack to cool.
Chips can be stored in a tin can layered between wax paper for up to 3 weeks.

6 Comments Filed Under: Appetizers, Party Foods Tagged: feta cheese, party dip, pita chips

Eggplant, Tomato and Feta Summer Side Dish

August 22, 2019 by Marie 2 Comments

We’re still in the dog days of summer with an abundance of garden produce still available You just can’t beat the flavor of garden ripe tomatoes, there’s nothing like it, and I will dream about that taste when summer ends.

But for now, if you need to use up some of those sweet cherry tomatoes you might have, this is the perfect side dish to make.

It’s a delicious combination of eggplant with tomatoes and feta cheese.

You honestly don’t need a recipe for this because you’ll never go wrong with the ingredients and amounts. All you have to do is roast some cherry tomatoes with a good amount of olive oil and shaved garlic, salt and pepper. It doesn’t matter how many tomatoes you use, just fill up a sheet pan like I did.

Place them into the oven at 400 degrees until they start to blister and their flavorful juices mingle with the olive oil.

Same thing goes for the eggplant, I like to peel the skin of my eggplant into stripes, some on, some off. Then cut your eggplant into bite size pieces, 2 or 3 eggplant or however many you have, place on a sheet pan, douse with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Roast at 425 degrees until the moisture is gone and you start to see lightly golden edges.

Now basically it’s all about combining everything. In a bowl add the blistered cherry tomatoes and every bit of that luscious garlicky juice, toss in the roasted eggplant, and crumble in the best quality Greek feta you can find.

Combine gently and arrange it all on a pretty platter garnished with chopped parsley, now watch it disappear!

I can’t tell you how good this is, you’re just going to have to make this amazing summer side dish, but hurry!

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2 Comments Filed Under: Side Dishes, Vegetables Tagged: eggplant, feta cheese, roasted tomatoesoes

Shrimp with Roasted Tomatoes Shaved Garlic and Feta

October 10, 2017 by Marie 7 Comments

Whoever said that cheese and seafood is a bad combo? Well I’m here to say that it isn’t so, especially in this dish that features shrimp with feta cheese.

This is a variation of the famous Greek Saganaki, there are so many variations of this dish from the ingredients to the way it’s prepared but it’s the Greeks that deserve full credit for this delicious combination of flavors.

This is a one pan wonder that’s surprisingly easy to make for a mid week meal and equally as special enough for entertaining, all you’ll need is crusty bread to scoop up and dip into that incredible sauce!

I’ve made this several times and my tomatoes of choice are roasted cherry or grape tomatoes, I prefer them over canned I think it really makes a difference, fresh is best and fortunately for me even in the colder months I’m able to find decent tasting cherry or grape tomatoes.

I can’t stress enough the importance of using quality ingredients in this dish, a good block of Greek feta should be used, not the crumbled pieces in a container that you can buy, heavens no, also you’ll want to use some beautiful wild caught shrimp.

FYI, if you’re lucky to have a Trader Joe’s near you my favorite shrimp of choice currently is their frozen wild Argentinian large red shrimp, peeled and deveined, it tastes so amazing, I always keep a couple of bags in my freezer, but of course any fresh or frozen wild caught shrimp will do.

The vessel you make it in is important also, it’s best when made in a shallow baking dish something like an au gratin pan, you wouldn’t want to use anything too deep.

It’s bold and flavorful with a flavor combination that you’ll be craving, I can’t wait for you to try this!

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5.0 from 3 reviews

Shrimp with Roasted Tomatoes Shaved Garlic and Feta

Author: Marie

Ingredients

1 lb. wild caught shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails kept on. ( It's important not to have any moisture on your shrimp so I like to layer my shrimp between paper towels to soak up any moisture and to insure they are dry with both fresh and frozen.)
2 pints of cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
3 large cloves of fresh garlic, shaved
1 cup of good quality authentic Greek feta, block style
olive oil
dried oregano
red pepper flakes
parsley or basil for garnish

Instructions

Heat oven to 400 degrees
In a foil lined rimmed baking pan place your slice tomatoes, shaved garlic and a good drizzle of olive oil making sure to cover and toss tomatoes with it, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast until tomatoes burst and juices flow.
While the tomatoes are roasting toss the shrimp into a bowl with salt and pepper, a pinch of red pepper flakes, oregano and a drizzle of olive oil.
Take your roasted tomatoes and place them into your shallow baking dish making sure to get all those garlicky juices with a rubber spatula to help.
Position and nestle your shrimp into the garlicky tomato mixture and juices, place into your 400 degree oven and roast until you start seeing the shrimp turn pink.
Pull it out then crumble the feta all around in medium chunks.
Finish cooking it with a quick minute or two under your broiler to get a little golden on top.
Garnish with chopped parsley or basil.
Enjoy, and don't forget the crusty bread!