.: evil jungle prince :.

Recently I've been rather addicted to feta cheese; not crappy American supermarket fake-feta made with cow's milk, but the real stuff from abroad made with 100% sheep's milk. So very tangy and delicious, especially when prepared with a little olive oil and dried herbs. YUM.

This dish is beyaz peynir ezmesi, or spicy Turkish feta puree. Personally I wouldn't say it's spicy at all, but it gets its name from a liberal use of hot pepper powder. Served with some fresh tomatoes, olives, and pita bread, this was such a great snack. The use of dried mint is what really makes the dish vibrant and special.

1. Soak a block of feta in warm water for 30 mins, changing water often. The purpose of this is to remove excess saltiness from the cheese. Otherwise, the spread's salt content will overpower the flavors.

2. Next, crumble the block of feta and puree with 4 cloves garlic, 2 tsp paprika, 2 tsp red pepper powder, 3 tsp olive oil. Process until smooth.

3. Refrigerate the cheese spread for 1/2 hour. Serve drizzled with olive oil, 2 tsp dried mint. This goes wonderfully with crispy pita, fresh tomatoes, and olives.