Marinated Feta is a simple to prepare appetiser that is packed full of delicious flavours. Garlic, rosemary, lemon and a little chilli combine with the Feta Cheese and Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which works perfectly with slices of crusty bread. This easy appetiser will become a favourite!
Place the block of feta onto some paper towel and pat it dry.
Cut your block of feta into cubes approximately 1 cm (½ inch) square – See Note 6.Place the feta into a medium-sized bowl.
Strip the leaves from the rosemary and thyme and add them to the bowl.
Cut the chilli in half lengthways, remove the seeds and membrane. Finely slice the chilli and add to the feta. Adjust the amount of chilli used according to your taste.
Peel and finely slice the garlic. Add to the bowl along with the lemon zest, peppercorns and dried oregano.
Pour over the olive oil and gently toss with a spoon to ensure each cube of feta is coated.
Transfer the feta to an airtight container/jar and store in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, ideally overnight, before serving to allow the flavours to develop – See Note 7.Use the feta and oil within 4 days. See the note in the blog post regarding safety precautions.
Notes
Feta cheese: we use Greek feta, made from a combination of sheep and goat milk. Use a feta that you enjoy eating.
Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
Cayenne chillies: are long, slender chillies/peppers. They are often mild in flavour, but the heat can vary. Add the amount of chilli according to your preference.
Lemon zest: finely zest the lemon, avoiding the white pith.
Olive oil: as we serve the marinated feta with crusty bread to mop up the flavoursome oil, we use extra virgin olive oil. Use the best quality olive oil that you have.
Cutting the cheese: we cut the cheese into small cubes, which absorb the flavours better than large.
Storage: the Marinated Feta will keep for up to four days. Store the feta in a wide-mouth container to make it easier to remove the cubes of feta.