Fiery Peppered Feta With Pita Recipes

FIERY PEPPERED FETA WITH PITA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Place the feta, yogurt, and 1/4 teaspoons salt in a bowl and mash with a fork to make a smooth paste. Alternatively this can be pureed in a food processor. Add the garlic, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, paprika, and cayenne. Season with salt and black pepper and mix well.
• Wrap the pita tightly in foil and place in the oven until warm, about 10 minutes.
• Spread the feta puree on a serving plate. Drizzle with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, paprika, and garnish with olives. Serve with the warm pita.

FRIED FETA GREEK SALAD PITAS

Steps:

• Combine the olives, cucumbers, red pepper and onion in a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, a big pinch of salt and some black pepper and toss to combine. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator while you make the feta.
• For the feta, prepare a dredging station. In a rimmed dish, add the flour. In a separate rimmed dish, whisk the egg with a splash of water. In a third separate dish, whisk together the breadcrumbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few turns of black pepper. Coat each chunk of feta in the flour and tap off the excess. Dunk in the beaten egg and then coat in the breadcrumbs, tapping off the excess.
• Heat a 1/4-inch layer of olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. (Test to see if it is hot enough by sprinkling a bit of breadcrumb in the oil. If it sizzles right away, it's ready.) Carefully place the breaded feta cubes in the oil and fry in batches for 90 seconds to 2 minutes on the first side, undisturbed. Flip and fry on the other side for another minute or so, or until golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet and allow excess oil to drain. Repeat until all pieces are fried.
• To serve, slice open each pita and create a pocket. Schmear a big plop of hummus inside each one, followed by some arugula. Top with a pile of the Greek salad, a few chunks of the warm, fried feta, a dollop of yogurt and a few pieces of mint. Serve with lemon wedges and hot sauce, if desired.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together the water, sugar and yeast just to dissolve. Add the oil and salt and then gradually add the flour. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix for 7 to 10 minutes, adding just enough additional flour so that the dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Do not add too much flour. The dough should be smooth and slightly sticky. Lightly coat a clean large bowl with oil or cooking spray, then place the dough in the bowl and turn it once or twice to coat it in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
• Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Mold each piece into a ball by stretching the top and tucking the edges under. Place the balls 1 inch apart on a piece of parchment paper, cover them with plastic wrap and let them rise for 30 minutes.
• Set an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• With a rolling pin, roll out the balls of dough into 6-inch circles. Place them on the baking sheets and bake for about 5 minutes, or until they're puffy and just starting to brown.

PITA WITH FETA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place breads on baking sheet - ungreased.
• Sprinkle cheese on each pita and add Italian seasoning to each.
• Top with rest of ingredients divided equally on the four breads.
• Drizzle 1/4 teaspoon (olive oil) on each pita.
• Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes.
• Cut in half and let rest for 4 minutes before serving.

HERBED PITA TOAST WITH FETA CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place pita rounds on a baking sheet, and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper.
• Bake until crispy and lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and break pitas in half. Slice feta cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with herbed pita halves.

FIESTA PITA

Steps:

• Warm the pita in a toaster oven until fragrant, 1 or 2 minutes; cut in half and open up each half. Heat the beans in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and mix in the avocado. Divide the bean mixture in half, and fill each half of the pita with half the bean mixture. Top each pita with 1 tablespoon of feta cheese, and add a dash of hot sauce and a teaspoon of chopped fresh cilantro to each.

SPICY BAKED FETA (FETA PSITI)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place the feta in an ovenproof baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Cover liberally with pepper flakes, and sprinkle with oregano.
• Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until feta is soft, about 10 minutes.