Marinated Feta
Greek-inspired 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.
