Greek Whipped Feta Dip-Tirokafteri

A bowl with greek whipped feta with an olive on top, a baguette and a bowl with olives in the front.

Greek Whipped Feta Dip-Tirokafteri

This traditional Greek spicy whipped feta dip-tirokafteri is a rustic, delicious appetizer served with pitas, crackers, or cut-up veggies.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 513kcal

Author by Jenny Skrapaliori Graves

Ingredients

2 hot peppers of your choice
1 red longhorn pepper or red bell pepper
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
375 grams greek feta cheese in brine 1½ cups or 12.5 oz
150 grams Greek yogurt one small container or ¾ of a cup
freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Preheat the broiler.
Place the peppers in an oven-proof dish, drizzle a bit of olive oil on top and broil, turning them frequently, for 15-20 minutes or until charred and blistered.
Let peppers cool until they are ok to handle.
Wear gloves and peel the skin of the peppers and take out the seeds.
In a food processor, pulse the olive oil and feta pieces. Whip until smooth and creamy.
Add the red pepper and half of the hot pepper. Blend until smooth. Try it with a spoon to check the heat, and build up with more hot pepper if you prefer it spicier.
Add the yogurt, season with freshly ground pepper and beat for 10 seconds to incorporate. Try the dip and see if you want to add more hot pepper.

Notes

You can fry the peppers instead of broil in a skillet with a little olive oil. Fry the peppers turning them frequently for 15-20 minutes or until they are charred and blistered.

Go easy on the peppers at first. Add half a hot pepper to the cheese, pulse, and taste. If you need more heat add the second half.

Be extra cautious when handling hot peppers. I strongly suggest using gloves when handling very hot peppers to protect you from the severe burning sensation, especially if you absentmindedly touch or rub your eyes. You definitely do not want any habanero residue in your eye. Please use gloves when handling any hot pepper.

You can use habaneros, jalapeno, serranos, guajillo, cayenne etc. Check out this terrific guide on hot peppers.

Always good quality feta cheese. Find Greek feta in brine. I like Mt Vikos feta and the Dodoni brand is also an excellent choice. Both are available at local supermarkets as well as Whole Foods and other specialty grocery stores. Israeli and Bulgarian feta are also good options.

Please don't get any fat-free French feta. It is not the real thing, and it would never be part of a Greek pantry. I also find full-fat French feta too dry, it will not work well for this dish.

The nutritional analysis is only an estimate based on available ingredients and the recipe’s preparation.

Nutrition