Culture Magazine

8 culturecheesemag.com C O O K I N G W I T H C H E E S E 202 3 HALLOUMI CROSTINI WITH KALAMATA OLIVE PASTE, PROSCIUTTO, FRISÉE, AND LEMON ZEST Written by Wendy Crispell Crostini recipes are abundant and diverse, but they all have one thing in common: bread. This variation, which swaps in crispy halloumi for the traditional baguette slices, is perfect for gluten- intolerant partygoers, but all your guests will delight in this tasty, unexpected preparation. The bitter frisée and tangy lemon zest cut the salty cheese and meat and add texture, too. Trust us— you won't miss the bread. Serves 4 WHIPPED FETA WITH SPRING ONION AND ZA'ATAR Written by Elaine Khosrova Photographed by Mark Ferri Styled by Leslie Orlandini A classic of the Greek meze table, this quick-to- concoct savory dip tastes best if made a day ahead and refrigerated. It can be served with virtually any grilled meat or vegetable, crudités, or simply some good pita bread. Za'atar is a Lebanese spice mixture that includes ground thyme, sumac, and sesame seeds. The blend adds a nice counterpoint to the salty taste of feta, but it's optional. Makes about 1 cup 7 ounces soft-style feta (such as Valbreso) ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt 2 green onions, coarsely chopped 2 teaspoons za'atar (optional) ¼ to ¹⁄ ³ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Combine feta, yogurt, green onion, and za'atar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a chopping blade Pulse until smooth. With the motor running, pour ¼ cup olive oil into the feta mixture and process until blended. Check the texture, adding more olive oil if a thinner consistency is desired. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh pepper. Whipped Feta with Spring Onion and Za'atar 8 ounces halloumi, cut lengthwise into 6 ¼-inch slices, then halved on the diagonal 6 thin slices prosciutto, each piece cut in half crosswise into 3- to 4-inch pieces 1½ tablespoons kalamata olive paste* ¼ cup frisée, torn into small pieces Zest from ½ lemon 1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and sauté halloumi 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Arrange browned cheese in a single layer on serving platter, and top with slices of prosciutto. Add a dab of olive paste on top of prosciutto, and divide frisée and lemon zest equally between crostini. Drizzle crostini with extra-virgin olive oil and garnish with freshly ground pepper. *Quality olive paste can be found in the Italian specialties section of almost any market, but you can make your own by blending pitted olives, olive oil, and fresh oregano in a food processor, adding pepper to taste.

• Cover