An easy Greek traditional side dish
OK, this recipe is so easy and simple it almost feels like cheating! I mean, I could tell you only the ingredients, not give you any quantities, you could even improvise and add one or two of your favorite herbs and still turn out delicious! But, if you want to taste this meze as if you’re a habitué of a Greek tavern, you should follow the recipe as is, at least at the first time 🙂
This may be the most famous Greek side dish/appetizer. It’s not served in fancy, expensive restaurants, but in more humble food places with simple, everyday, honest food. Don’t get me wrong here; I’m not saying expensive restaurants don’t offer honest food! What I’m trying to say is that when you pay a lot of money for a dinner, you expect something out of the ordinary, something requiring special skills or certain preparation. And this recipe, as I mentioned previously, isn’t something like that. This recipe ia as simple as it gets. And what you see is what you get, hence the “honest” characterization. You just throw everything in a pan and bake until the feta cheese is nice and creamy and the tomato soft and caramelized. That’s it!
Try to pick a good quality, Greek feta cheese. In many Greek markets, feta cheese is kept as large blocks submerged in brine, inside tin containers and you can ask the employee to cut you a little piece from the brand you desire in order to taste it and see whether you like it or not. Then you tell him just how much you want and you’re off to your kitchen! These feta containers, when empty, are sometimes used as pots for plants and flowers, and embellish the streets of Greek traditional villages! I talk a little about these container-pots on my rose geranium tomato marmalade post, a really interesting and unique recipe. Check it out!
Some notes:
Eat it plain or spread it on a slice of bread. Don’t miss the chance to dip the bread in the juices of the pan!!!
This dish is also perfect for brunch! The creamy, savory feta, the intensity from the peppers and the tangy-sweet caramelized tomatoes make it irresistible!
- 1 pound (more or less) good quality Greek feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- freshly grated pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 sliced tomato or 4-5 cherry tomatoes cut in half
- Half red horn pepper or bell pepper
- Half green horn pepper or bell pepper
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Cut the feta cheese in approximately half inch slices.
- Lay some slices of tomato and peppers on an 8-inch pan. Top with the feta cheese. Lay the rest of the tomato and peppers on the feta, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with dried oregano.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until soft and bubbly at the edges.
- Eat!
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