Cloud-Whipped Feta with Hot Honey & Pistachios

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Real block feta whipped with thick Greek yogurt, good olive oil and a splash of ice water until it turns airy and mousse-like, then swooped into a bowl and finished with warm chili honey, toasted pistachios and oregano. It takes 15 minutes in a food processor and eats like something you'd pay $18 for with a stack of warm pita.

Ingredients

• 8 oz block feta in brine (Greek or Bulgarian), drained
• 1/2 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp ice water, plus more as needed
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 strip lemon peel
• 1 pinch kosher salt

• 1/3 cup shelled raw pistachios
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• Flaky sea salt
• 4 rounds pita bread, warmed and torn
• Cucumber spears, radishes and endive leaves, for dipping

Instructions

1. Take the feta and yogurt out of the fridge 20 minutes ahead — slightly cool-but-not-cold dairy whips smoother. Drain the feta, pat it dry, and crumble it into rough 1-inch pieces.
2. Toast the pistachios in a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until they smell nutty and are lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Tip onto a plate to cool, then coarsely chop.
3. Make the chili honey: combine the honey, red pepper flakes, lemon peel and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat, stirring, just until loose and fragrant, about 3 minutes — do not let it simmer or it will turn bitter. Remove from the heat, discard the lemon peel, and set aside to steep.
4. Put the crumbled feta, yogurt, grated garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and black pepper in a food processor. Pulse 10 to 12 times to break the cheese down into fine crumbs.
5. With the machine running, stream in the 3 tablespoons olive oil, then the ice water. Let it run a full 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl once, until the dip is glossy, pale and completely smooth with no grain on your tongue. If it is stiffer than soft frosting, add ice water 1 teaspoon at a time.
6. Taste and adjust: more lemon juice for lift, a pinch of salt only if your feta was mild (most are salty enough). Chill 20 minutes if you have time — it firms up just enough to hold a swoop.
7. Spoon the whipped feta into a shallow bowl and use the back of the spoon to spread it out and build ridges and a wide well in the center.
8. Drizzle the warm chili honey into the well, then finish with the remaining olive oil, the toasted pistachios, dried oregano crumbled between your fingers, and a pinch of flaky salt. Serve immediately with warm torn pita and crisp raw vegetables.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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