Feta and Pistachio Dip

Ingredients

• 8 oz feta cheese (Prefer feta sold in a block; crumble before processing.)
• 0.5 cup shelled pistachios (Use unsalted if possible; if using salted pistachios, adjust seasoning carefully.)
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic (Peeled.)
• 2 tbsp fresh mint (Finely chopped.)
• 0.5 tsp Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes (Optional; adjust to taste.)
• black pepper (To taste.)
• salt (Only after processing and tasting; feta and salted pistachios may provide enough salt.)
• cucumber spears, apple wedges, crudités, flatbread, pita chips, or crackers (For serving.)

Steps

1. 1

   Crumble the feta and prepare the remaining ingredients. If using pistachios that are not already roasted, toast them briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 3–5 minutes; cool before processing.

2. 2

   Add the crumbled feta, pistachios, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mint, and Aleppo pepper to a food processor.

3. 3

   Process in pulses, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture is combined and mostly smooth but still has a little texture from the pistachios.

4. 4

   Taste the dip before adding any salt. Season with black pepper and, only if needed, a small amount of salt, since feta and salted pistachios can make the dip overly salty.

5. 5

   Transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Serve with cucumber spears and apple wedges, or with other crudités, flatbread, pita chips, or crackers.

Notes

The source describes this as a version of Turkish girit ezmesi, a feta-and-nut meze with roots in Crete. The published ingredient list and full directions were unavailable because the recipe is member-gated; quantities and several ingredients above are estimated from the dish description and culinary context. Chill leftovers in an airtight container and bring them close to room temperature before serving for the creamiest texture.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• dip
• meze
• vegetarian
• no-cook
• Mediterranean-inspired
• make-ahead
• party food