Shakertown, Kentucky, is a long way from Greece, but one never knows where recipe inspiration will appear. Earlier this year, while on a beagling adventure there, one of the other packs hosted lunch and brought a wonderful marinated feta that Crissy B and I thoroughly enjoyed. Thankfully, a bit survived until cocktails later that evening. Crissy wisely suggested I might want to make it someday.
Fast forward to the Devon Horse Show earlier this month, when Ed and I were invited to join Crissy and Jeff. I knew exactly what to bring: a surprise batch of marinated feta.
This is the ideal very easy make-ahead appetizer as it benefits from at least 24 hours in the refrigerator and will keep for two to three weeks. Serve it with sliced bread, pita chips or crackers. It travels beautifully, too, especially in a small lidded container. A mason jar or crock works well, although I found a little container at Target that fit my block of feta just right—always satisfying.
Start with a block of feta stored in brine, not crumbled feta, and drain it before cutting. Sheep’s milk feta is my preference as it is creamier and a bit more refined. Greek feta is the classic choice, but French or Bulgarian feta works well, too. I’m especially fond of French feta.
The marinade leans Greek-inspired with garlic, oregano, thyme, rosemary, lemon peel, Aleppo pepper and black pepper. Aleppo pepper has a mild heat and slightly fruity, almost raisin-like flavor that is less aggressive than traditional crushed red pepper flakes. No salt is needed as feta brings plenty of its own. The flavors can be adapted based on what you like or what is growing in your summer herb pots.
Once the cheese is gone, don’t toss the olive oil. Use it in salad dressing, as a marinade or tossed with pasta. Leftover feta is equally happy spread on bread or stirred into pasta. Not a drop should go to waste.
Shakertown aka Shaker Village in Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, is a beautifully restored Shaker village—that’s perfect for a day trip or an overnight. With 3,000 acres of farmland and 34 original 19th-century buildings it’s a must see. Plus, there’s good food and shopping.
Marinated Feta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces feta block in brine see Notes
- 1 medium garlic clove thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano see Notes
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 small fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 strip lemon peel
- Pinch of Aleppo pepper or a few red pepper flakes to taste
- A few grinds of black pepper
- ~ 1 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- Serve with sliced bread, pita chips or crackers
Instructions
- Drain the feta and cut into small cubes. Place in a small container with a lid (such as a Mason jar or crock). Make sure it’s something easy you can serve it from.
- In a small bowl, mix garlic, oregano, thyme, rosemary, lemon peel, Aleppo pepper and black pepper. Stir in 3/4 cup of olive oil.
- Pour the olive oil mixture over the feta and stir to mix in the spices. Top off the olive oil so it covers the feta by about 1/2 inch.
- Refrigerate overnight before serving so flavors can meld.
- Bring it to room temperature (~ 30 minutes) and serve with sliced bread, pita chips or crackers.
- Marinated feta keeps 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator. Add additional olive oil to ensure that the feta is covered as needed.
Notes
- You must start with a block of feta—not crumbled—in brine. Go for the best quality you can find—preferably made with sheep’s milk rather than cow’s milk. Greek, French or Bulgarian are good options. I used French feta as that was the only sheep’s milk option. The creamier the cheese, the better.
- Not all oregano is the same. I prefer Greek or Turkish for this recipe. I used Turkish oregano in this recipe from Penzys—it is so much better than what I get at the grocery store. Do not be tempted to use fresh oregano as it might be too bitter.
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