When I entertain, I typically put out an antipasto or mezze spread as a starter. I love cheese, but when I’m hosting for 20 people I can’t really afford to provide a spread of French bries and Buffalo Mozzarella. But I also feel like I need to do better than slapping down a block of tasty cheese. So I often serve up this Feta Marinated with Herbs and Chilli which is really cost effective, looks so fresh and pretty and tastes fantastic. In Australia, feta is good value and you can get it prepackaged or by weight at delicatessens. I use feta in a lot in things like salads, stuffings and omelettes but I don’t eat it plain or on crackers because I find it too sharp. At least, this is the case with ordinary cow’s milk feta. Deluxe feta, like Persian Feta, is creamier and less salty and delicious eaten as is. In Australia there are two main types of feta – Greek feta which is quite firm and crumbly, and Danish feta which is much softer, almost as creamy as cream cheese. Both are around the same price. This recipe is suitable to use with any type of feta, but I like to make it with Danish feta because you can spread it on bread and crackers.
There are so many ways you can make this Feta Marinated with Herbs and Chilli recipe and you can use whatever herbs you want – I used thyme, parsley, chilli and lemon. I infused the olive oil with garlic simply by leaving a crushed garlic (crushed using the side of a knife, not minced) in the oil overnight. Sometimes I marinate the feta overnight, with the garlic and all the herbs. But my preference is to add the herbs on the day of serving so the colour and taste is fresher. You could also use a store bought infused olive oil, though for cost reasons I don’t do that. I’ve provided directions in the recipe for a variety of ways to make this, and I’m sure you will think of some ways yourself! You can actually buy marinated feta, but honestly, when you can make it yourself at home for a fraction of the cost, why would you? This is a great versatile appetiser idea so you don’t break the bank for your next dinner party! – Nagi x PS Also, don’t miss Lemon Baked Ricotta, another lovely starter idea to spread onto crackers and crispy toasted bread! SaveSave
