The traditional taste of tzatziki, a refreshing staple on Greek tables, comes through in this slimmed down version that uses cottage cheese. Mezze are small dishes served as appetizers…made even better with a glass of white wine.
Makes 4-6 servingsIngredients
- 2 cups small curd cottage cheese, drained
- 1 seedless cucumber, shredded, squeeze out excess moisture
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped dill
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- pita chips
- cherry tomatoes, halved
- pitted Kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- fresh dill fronds, to garnish
Directions
Combine the cottage cheese, cucumber, 1 tablespoon of the oil, vinegar, garlic, dill, mint, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight to allow the flavors to meld.
To serve, divide the tzatziki among four small bowls or ramekins set on small plates. Arrange the pita chips, cherry tomatoes and olives around the tzatziki. Whisk together the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and lemon juice, a pinch of salt and few grinds of black pepper and drizzle over the tzatziki and accompaniments. Garnish with the dill fronds and serve.
Photo by Beth Segal