Greek Baked Feta

Photo By Jane Kotsiris

There is a notion that in Greece there is one cheese that rules them all. One cheese that is on every single dish, and that’s feta.

Every person associates Greek cheese as being feta, and while there are many other cheeses Greek’s eat, feta has risen to the top, especially in touristy areas.

I personally feel the rise of feta in Greece has some part to do with the influx of tourists each summer that ask for it and want to have it because it’s the “Greek cheese.”

Of course there’s nothing wrong with that. I mean, feta is amazing. It’s the perfect balance of milk and salt. It’s great for adding flavor to dishes, and I love baking it because it holds it shape and doesn’t melt.

This recipe, Greek baked feta (feta psiti – φετα ψητη), is a very popular way of serving feta as a meze (appetizer).

The secret to what makes this dish so tasty is the saltiness of the feta and the acidity of the tomatoes.

It’s like putting salt on a tomato and taking a bit, it is delicious. It highlights the flavor of the tomato while cutting the acidity down.

The red pepper flakes give this some heat, which is most welcome in this dish. Obviously, there’s going to be oregano. It’s the herb that is sprinkled over feta that’s been drizzled with olive oil (another popular way you can eat feta).

The best part about this is the fact that it’s ready in a short amount of time, doesn’t require much work, and taste good and looks beautiful on the plate.

Give this a try and be transcended to a little Greek island taverna on the water.

http://greekfood.about.com/