An extra healthy dip that is delicious as a sandwich spread too.
One year a very long time ago my family all decided to spend the New Year’s holiday at my brother and sister-in-law’s place near Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine. The plan was to ski for a couple of days and have a big family New Year’s Eve celebration.
We skied all day on the 31st and had a great meal but were all so sleepy after our day on the hill that we decided to celebrate midnight Canadian time (11:00 p.m. Maine time) so we could get to bed earlier.
If you’re in search of a nibble for your New Year’s Eve celebration, or any sort of gathering, this feta walnut dip is a great option. You can make it thick with lots of texture and serve of with crackers, dried fruit and sliced pears. Or you can make it smooth and a little thinner to use as a creamy vegetable dip.
Look for goat’s milk feta for this recipe. It makes a creamier dip with more flavour.
To make it more of a dip for crackers or a spread for sandwiches, use less water or milk. Thin it with more water or milk to make it a dip for vegetables.
The recipe is from our family favourite Moosewood Cookbook.
Healthy Feta Walnut Dip
Ingredients:
- 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted or raw
- 1 very small clove of garlic
- Handful of fresh parsley (about ¼ cup)
- 1 cup crumbled feta
- ¼ to ½ cup water or milk
- 1 tsp. paprika
- Pinch of cayenne
- Squeeze of lemon (optional)
- A few grinds of black pepper
- ½ Tbsp. good olive oil
- ¼ tsp. dried oregano (or fresh)
- Toss the walnuts, garlic and parsley in the food processor and whirr until nuts are crumbly (a few seconds).
- Add feta, ¼ cup of water or milk, paprika and cayenne and blend until it’s the desired texture, adding more liquid as required.
- Place in serving dish and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano before serving.
