Greek Mezza Platter

I saw this appetizer on a recent Food Network episode, and it sounded so fabulous – the perfect “pick up and go” food that’s quick to prepare.  On a platter, you’ll arrange the following (directions below):

Ingredients:

Marinated Herbed Feta, (recipe below)
6 roasted red peppers, store – bought
10 stuffed grape leaves, store – bought
1 cup hummus, store – bought
1 TBSP pine nuts, toasted
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Toasted Pita Chips, for serving (recipe below)
4 sprigs fresh thyme

Marinated Herbed Feta

1 ½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried fennel seeds
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 ½ lbs greek feta, drained and sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 sprigs fresh thyme
½ cup good green olives with pits
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine the dried thyme, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
2. Lay the feta slices overlapping on a 9 × 9-inch square serving plate (I’m using a container that I can transport easily though).
3. Sprinkle the feta with the entire herb mixture.
4. Nestle the thyme sprigs and olives among the feta slices.
5. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
6. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or 1-2 days. Serve at room temperature for best flavor.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the pita bread into 8 triangles, and place them on a sheet pan.
8. Place the sheet pan in the oven and toast the bread for 10 minutes.
9. Arrange the marinated feta, red peppers, stuffed grape leaves and a small bowl filled with the hummus on a platter. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the hummus and add a drizzle of olive oil. Place the pita chips on the platter and arrange the sprigs of thyme over the red peppers, for decoration.

Categories: Appetizers Tags: cheese, fennel, feta, greek, olive, olive oil, red pepper flakes, thyme