Htipiti

August 5, 2018

Htipiti - kvalifood.com

Htipiti is a Greek roasted red pepper and feta dip, served as part of a meze spread with bread or raw vegetables. The peppers are charred and peeled, then blended with crumbled feta, olive oil, and a touch of chili. The texture should be creamy but still slightly rough – not perfectly smooth.

Makes ca. 2 cups

Ingredients

300 g Greek feta cheese (sheep’s milk), crumbled
2 roasted red bell peppers (ca. 200 g after roasting and peeling), roughly chopped
1 fresh red chili pepper (Fresno or serrano), seeded and chopped
1 small clove garlic (ca. 3 g), chopped
60 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tbsp Greek yogurt (optional), for extra creaminess
1/2 tsp dried oregano (optional)
1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional), for more heat

Directions

If roasting peppers fresh: preheat oven to 230 C (450 F). Halve and seed 2 large red bell peppers, place skin-side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast 30-35 minutes until the skins are blackened and blistered. Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly, and let steam 10 minutes. Peel off the skins. Jarred roasted peppers work as a substitute.

Place the roasted peppers and fresh chili in a food processor. Pulse a few times until broken down.

Add the feta, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil. Process until creamy but still slightly textured – about 30 seconds of pulsing.

Taste and adjust. Add more chili or pepper flakes for heat, more olive oil for richness, or yogurt for extra creaminess. Season with black pepper. Salt is usually unnecessary – the feta provides enough.

Transfer to a shallow bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with warm pita or crusty bread.

Notes

Keeps refrigerated 4-5 days. The flavor develops overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.
The dip thickens when chilled. Stir in a small splash of olive oil to loosen if needed.
For a smoother dip, process longer. For a more rustic texture, pulse briefly and leave some feta chunks.
Florina peppers (from Greek grocers) are the most authentic choice and give a sweeter, smokier result.