Girit Ezmesi — Aegean Herb and Cheese Meze

Girit ezmesi is a textured cheese-and-herb meze associated with the Aegean’s Cretan culinary heritage. It should be creamy but never processed into a featureless paste.

Serves 6 | Prep 15 minutes | No cooking

INGREDIENTS

• 250 g full-fat beyaz peynir or feta

• 100 g lor, ricotta, or strained yogurt

• 40 g walnuts, roughly chopped

• 30 g unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped

• ½ bunch dill, finely chopped

• ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

• 1 small garlic clove, crushed

• 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil

• ½ tsp pul biber

• Black pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Crumble the white cheese into a bowl and fold in the lor or strained yogurt.

2. Add walnuts, pistachios, dill, parsley, garlic, pul biber, black pepper, and most of the olive oil.

3. Mix with a fork, leaving visible crumbs, herbs, and nuts. Do not blend smooth.

4. Spoon into a shallow dish, drizzle with the remaining oil, and chill for 20 minutes before serving.

AUTHENTICITY NOTE

Recipes vary across Aegean meyhanes, but tangy cheese, abundant herbs, nuts, and good olive oil define the dish. Its rustic texture is part of its character.