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Kopanisti
Peppery whipped cheese spread
Kopanisti: Mykonos' sharp, peppery whipped cheese spread, home-style
On Mykonos and its neighbouring islands, cheesemakers once worked soft cheese by hand for weeks until it ripened into kopanisti, sharp, salty and peppery enough to prickle the tongue. On the island it is spread on barley rusks with a drizzle of oil as a meze with drinks before dinner. This home version beats feta with a little soft cheese, chilli and pepper, then leaves it in the fridge for two days to mellow and sharpen. Feta is traditionally made with animal rennet; choose a vegetarian feta if you need to. Common mistake: blending it to a smooth purée; it should stay a little rough. Chef's tip: cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil while it rests, so it doesn't dry out or pick up fridge flavours.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 9 oz fetacrumbled; animal rennet is traditional, use vegetarian feta if needed
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp black peppercoarsely ground
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp lemon juice
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 9 oz feta and 3 ½ oz soft goat's cheese or cream cheese in a bowl and mash with a fork for 3–4 minutes, until creamy but still a little crumbly.
4 minStep 2: Work in 1 tsp chilli flakes, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of 2 ⅛ tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Taste; it should be salty and fiery.
Step 3: Pack into a small jar or bowl, smooth the top and pour over the rest of ⅞ tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
Step 4: Cover and keep in the fridge for 2 days before eating, so the flavours sharpen. It keeps for a week; serve on rusks or with bread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kopanisti take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of feta?
- Goat's cheese or ricotta salata, same amount.
- What can I use instead of soft goat's cheese or cream cheese?
- Mascarpone, same amount.
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