Whipped Feta with Honey and Za'atar

A dip that looks like you tried much harder than you did. Salty feta and Greek yogurt get whipped until glossy and cloud-soft, then finished with a pool of olive oil, a drizzle of honey and a generous scatter of za’atar.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 200 g block feta in brine, drained
• 100 g full-fat Greek yogurt
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 tbsp cold water or reserved feta brine
• Black pepper
• 2 tsp za’atar
• 2 tsp runny honey
• 4 pita or flatbread, warmed

Directions

1. Drain the feta, reserving a little of the brine. Pat it dry, break it into rough chunks and leave it on the counter to lose its fridge chill. Cold feta blends grainy.
2. Add the feta and garlic to a food processor. Pulse until it looks like wet sand, scraping down the sides once.
3. Add the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice and a good crack of black pepper. Blend for a full two to three minutes. It will seem done at thirty seconds. It isn’t. Keep going until it’s glossy and holds a soft peak.
4. With the motor running, stream in the cold water or reserved brine a splash at a time until it’s spoonable but not slack. Taste. Feta varies wildly in salt, so add more lemon if it needs lift.
5. If you have time, cover and refrigerate. It firms up and the garlic mellows into the background instead of shouting.
6. Spread across a shallow bowl and drag the back of a spoon through it to make a well. Pool olive oil in the well, drizzle over the honey, then scatter with za’atar and lemon zest. Serve with warm pita or flatbread.