Yotam Ottolenghi’s Smoky Marinated Feta
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Dec 21, 2024 • 2 min read
Chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s smoky marinated feta is a flavor bomb made by letting feta sit in an oil bath infused with garlic, lemon, bay leaves, and charred chili flakes. Charring the aromatics adds an intense, smoky flavor to the oil, which the feta absorbs to a beautiful effect.
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What Is Feta?
Feta is a soft, brined, white cheese traditionally made from sheep’s milk, but commonly made from a mixture of sheep’s milk, goat’s milk, or cow’s milk. Traditionally, feta cheese is white with a soft, crumbly texture and a salty, tangy flavor.
Feta cheese is a protected designation of origin product, which means that in the European Union, feta cheese must be made in a traditional way in specific areas in Greece in order to be considered true feta. However, many other areas around the Mediterranean and throughout Europe make feta-style cheese, each with its own slight variations—for instance, French feta is usually milder, and Bulgarian feta isn’t usually as salty.
How to Serve Smoky Marinated Feta
You can use Smoky Marinated Feta in Chef Yotam’s recipe for Pea Spread With Smoky Marinated Feta, but the yield here is more than what you’ll need for that dish. That’s okay—marinated feta keeps for up to five days in the refrigerator (the flavors only get better the longer it sits), and it’s equally delicious on toast or in a salad.
Yotam Ottolenghi’s Smoky Marinated Feta
makes
prep time
15 mintotal time
4 hr 15 mincook time
0 minIngredients
- 1
Place a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is very hot, add the garlic and cook for 3–4 minutes, turning halfway, until cloves are charred.
- 2
Add the lemon strips and bay leaves, and cook for about 90 seconds until lightly charred.
- 3
Add the chipotle chili flakes and cook, stirring continuously, until well-toasted and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat, then add the oil, salt, and paprika. Stir for about 30 seconds to combine.
- 4
Add the feta to the oil and stir gently so that each piece of cheese is coated in oil, then transfer the cheese and liquid to a shallow container. Allow the feta to marinate at room temperature if you’ll be eating it within a few hours. Otherwise, refrigerate it in an airtight container. (If using later, take the feta out of the refrigerator about an hour or so before you want to serve it to allow the oil to come back up to room temperature and soften.)
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