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If I’m being honest, I was feeling the pressure to make sure this first post is a great one! I knew I needed to pick something delicious. If you like feta, you are going to LOVE this Mediterranean Dip that I found over at Annie’s Eats. I made this for dinner last night and between 4 people, we licked the plate clean.

We also ate an entire bag of pita, don’t let the 4 little triangles in the picture fool you. In order to stand up to the weight of all the fresh ingredients in this dip, I recommend making your own pita chips. Take some fresh pita bread, cut each pita into 8 triangles, and toast in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until they start to brown.

Keep this dip in mind if you need to bring something to a labor day cookout in a few weeks. Or just make it for dinner tonight! Because really, who needs an excuse to eat feta??

Layered Mediterranean Dip (from Annie’s Eats)

For the cilantro pesto:
1½ cups fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
2 tbsp. pecans
2 tbsp. pine nuts
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

To assemble the dip:
Hummus
Cilantro pesto (above)
Cucumber, seeded and diced
Red onion, diced
Banana peppers, chopped
Sliced olives (black or Kalamata)
Crumbled feta cheese
Tomatoes (I just diced mine, Annie roasted hers)

To make the cilantro pesto, combine the cilantro, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, pecans, and pine nuts in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse repeatedly until a coarse paste forms.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  With the processor running, add the remaining olive oil in a steady stream and process until smooth.  Transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan.  (If storing for later use, drizzle with a thin film of olive oil, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pesto, and store in an airtight container.)

To assemble the dip, spread a layer of hummus on a serving platter.  Spread the cilantro pesto over the top of the hummus.  Layer evenly with cucumber, red onion, banana peppers, olives, feta, and oven-dried tomatoes as desired.  Garnish with an additional few tablespoons of minced fresh cilantro.  Serve with pita chips.