Whipped Feta with Honey and Thyme
Five minutes of work and it looks like you meant it. The trick is whipping the feta far longer than you think necessary, until it stops being grainy and turns to something like soft ice cream.
- Prep 10 min
- Cook 0 min
- Total 10 min
- Serves 6
- Vegetarian
Method
Step 1. Take the feta out of the fridge 20 minutes ahead. Cold feta will not whip; it just sits in the bowl in lumps.
Step 2. Put the feta, yoghurt, oil, lemon zest and juice and the garlic clove in a food processor.
Step 3. Blitz for a full 2 minutes, stopping twice to scrape the sides down. It will look grainy for most of that time and then suddenly turn glossy and smooth. Keep going until it does.
Step 4. Taste. It will not need salt. Add pepper, and more lemon if it is heavy.
Step 5. Spread it into a shallow bowl and drag the back of a spoon through it in a spiral, making ridges and grooves. The grooves are where the honey pools, so make them properly.
Step 6. Drizzle the honey over, then the extra olive oil. Scatter the thyme leaves and a lot of black pepper.
Step 7. Serve with warm flatbread. It is better at room temperature than fridge cold.
Notes from the kitchen
- No food processor? A stick blender in a tall jug works. A fork does not — it will stay grainy.
- This is vegetarian but not vegan: the honey and the dairy both rule it out. For a vegan version, whip silken tofu with tahini, lemon and salt, and finish with maple syrup instead of honey.
- It keeps for three days covered in the fridge. Bring it back to room temperature and give it a stir before serving.
