Red. It’s my favorite color. I love it in my wardrobe, in nature, and in my kitchen. Whether it’s my well-used red, cast iron pot, my trusty red spoon, or the food on the table itself, it gives me joy whenever I see it. And the one of the foods that is almost ALWAYS in my kitchen is a red bell pepper. Their versatility astounds, and their taste impresses no matter how it’s used.
In this particular case, it’s the smoky flavor that imparted by a good roasting of the peppers in a blazing hot oven that grabs my attention–and my taste buds. Mixed with creamy feta and silky olive oil, and well, it’s “I need to be alone” good.
This dip recipe is my version of a favorite from a Greek restaurant I’ve mentioned previously here. Nostos, found in Northern Virginia, is one of the best there is. And when Yia Yia is in the kitchen (Yia Yia is Greek for “grandmother”), it’s time to dig in. This delectable dip is simply addicting. I found myself craving it in between visits to the restaurant, so the only way to keep the cravings at bay was to find a way to make my own. Google the name of the dip–tyrokafteri–and many versions pop up. I read several before creating my own version, and to say it is a hit whenever I serve it is an understatement.
Roast, blend, spread, and enjoy. Red may be your favorite color now, too.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 6 people | 40 minutes |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 15 minutes | 20 minutes |
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I've posted this recipe previously, but thought it worthy of a revisiting. I figured while we all have our eyes on the upcoming Super Bowl (or more specifically, the great food that goes with a Super Bowl party), now was as good a time as any to revisit it. Like so many dips and spreads, the beauty is that they are versatile and can be tweaked, changed, and updated based on taste or preference--or your mood, for that matter.
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- 6 large red bell peppers roasted and peeled
- 1 16 oz. container crumbled feta cheese
- 1 clove garlic peeled
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- Cut bell peppers in half, removing white pith and seeds. Broil in oven for 10 minutes, or until skins are blackened and blistered.
- Place peppers in large plastic bag. Allow to steam for 20 minutes. Peel skins off of peppers. Reserve any liquid in the bag.
- Place roasted peppers into food processor. Pulse until peppers are blended. There will be some small pieces visible.
- Add next 3 ingredients (through cayenne), including any remaining steaming liquid from plastic bag.
- Blend until the mixture is an almost blended consistency.
- With processor blending, slowly drizzle olive oil into mixture until dip results in creamy texture. Keep an eye on the consistency as you may need slightly more--or less--olive oil. Taste, and then add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with toasted pita bread or raw veggies.
Recipe Notes:
1. If you do not want to roast the peppers yourself, feel free to use jarred roasted red peppers. If they are in water, be sure to drain the water before blending. If they are jarred with oil, you can use that oil as you blend the mixture, as there is a lot of flavor in that oil.
2. If you want to use other colors of peppers, you can use orange or yellow. Stay away from green peppers as they have a completely different (sharper, more bitter) flavor. It's not a good match for this recipe.
3. For a little more kick, add a few jarred piquillo peppers. They give a nice additional heat to the spread.
This dip can be spread on English muffins or toast and topped with eggs, spread on crostini and topped with veggies, or used as a veggie dip on a crudite platter. It is so versatile it's only limited by your imagination! What else would you use it for??
I love roasted red peppers and feta together! They just go together so well.
I love the feta cheese in this dip! So silky and smooth. Yum!
This looks like a perfect dish for a barbecue or the upcoming Superbowl party I am having. I love dips of all kinds and am excited to try this. 🙂
Pair this with the fava bean spread posted yesterday, too, and you have a Mediterranean theme! So. Darned. Tasty.
I love the simplicity, and can only imagine that this tastes amazing as well. We’ll be giving this a try very soon. Now where’s my pita recipe?
Jerry, I have yet to try making my own pita, but if you have a good recipe, I’d love to try it!
I love use red bell pepper too – they are simply delicious, especially as a dip!