I have made no secret of my love for Middle Eastern cuisine. It is food that excites and uses some of the best ingredients out there. I was recently at Fes Turkish BBQ and while Germany has no shortage of Turkish delis it was a welcome surprise to be able to eat out at somewhere other than a kebab shop. And don’t get me wrong, I am not one to turn my nose up at a kebab! Many nights have been rescued with a late night stop off for a kebab. But I love seeing real Turkish food being brought together and celebrated and Fes certainly does that! We grilled our own tender and delicious lamb and had a selection of different mezze dishes. The feta parcels were my favourite but I also loved the stuffed mushrooms, roasted aubergines and the yoghurt dips – and all best washed down with a bottle of Raki!
I love cooking mezze and it is often a popular go to weekend treat in my home. It is all about sharing lots of delicious plates from my Oregano and Thyme Meatballs with a Tahini Yoghurt, Honey and Thyme Baked Feta to some Greek inspired Courgette Balls or a Courgette, Feta and Pine Nut Salad. I love it and these Feta and Coriander Parcels with a Walnut Dip are the perfect part of a mezze night.
I use filo pastry that is light and has a more crunchy texture. For me the Walnut Dip is the star of the show. I simply mix in some crushed walnuts, lemon juice and cumin and coriander seeds with some greek yohurt. It is fresh and delicious!
- 100g feta
- 1 large bunch fresh coriander (finely chopped)
- 1 pack filo pastry
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried cumin
- ½ tsp coriander seeds (crushed)
- 1 large pot greek yoghurt
- 70g walnuts (crushed)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled and crushed)
- Salt/ pepper
- Olive oil
- Sesame seeds
- Small bunch fresh parsley
- Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
- In a mixing bowl crumble in the feta and add the fresh coriander and the paprika. Pour in half the lemon juice, about 2 tbps olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Mix so that all ingredients are well combined.
- Lay out the filo pasty. Take 2 sheets and cut in half. Place about 1 and half tbps of the feta mixture in half and fold from each opposite corner. Fold over the remaining two open edges and then brush with the beaten egg to keep the edges stuck together and to get a golden colour on the pastry when cooked. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. Repeat with the rest until the feta mixture is used up and place in the oven for around 20/25 mins or until the pastry is golden and cooked through. Leave to rest for just 5 mins before serving.
- In the meantime to make the dip add the yoghurt, garlic, walnuts, cumin and coriander seeds to a bowl. Stir in the fresh parsley and pour in the lemon juice. Season with a little salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil and mix well. Place in the fridge until needed.
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