Hello everyone,
I can count on one hand the number of people I’ve met who don’t love olives. Me? I’m the opposite, I’m all about olives, olives, and more olives! Any color, any shape. Well… maybe not the super spicy ones. My husband recently returned from Greece with a treat: fresh green olives, not the jarred kind, but straight from a friend’s olive grove. They were already soaked in olive oil, and he brought home two kilos of them! So, what did I do? I made one of my favorite appetizers: Green Olives and Feta Meze. It’s a classic Greek combo that’s seriously addictive.
I was first introduced to this meze when I was still a law student in Athens. My friends and I would head out to these tiny, cozy spots called Ouzomezopoleia, where the locals go, with clinking glasses and tables overflowing with small plates. That’s where I fell in love with this simple dish of green olives and feta. Now, I’ll be honest, I don’t drink ouzo. Never liked it. I’d prefer to have a cold beer or a dry white wine. But oh my gosh, those mezedes? They were incredible. Platters piled with all kinds of goodies, meatballs, cheese puffs, grilled peppers, and of course, olives. All sorts of olives. And that’s where the obsession began.
My mom always had Greek olives on the table at dinnertime, even back when we lived in the States. But at the time, there was only one kind available. It wasn’t until we moved to Greece that I truly discovered how many different olives there were. And this was back then in the 80s. This was a little Greek deli somewhere in Astoria that we used to visit. It was our spot for Greek products, cheeses, Greek coffee, sweets, and, of course, olives. It felt like a tiny slice of Greece tucked into the heart of Queens.
Now, this isn’t a complicated recipe by any means, but traditionally, preparing olives from scratch can take up to a week! Luckily for me, these particular olives were already soaked in olive oil. If you’re using jarred or canned olives, it works fine for this. Green Olives and Feta Meze that still come together in a flash. To cut the feta into neat cubes, use a sharp knife and dip it in water between cuts; it helps you slice smoothly every time. That’s it! A few ingredients and it’s ready in under ten minutes, you’ll have a meze that tastes like a true slice of Greece.
You can add more vinegar or dried herbs. The recipe below is the way we like to eat them. I hope you enjoy this delicious recipe till next time. 🙂
Have a great morning/afternoon/evening, everyone!!
Green olives and Feta Meze
Ingredients
- 2 cups olives green
- 1 garlic cloves finely sliced
- 1 ½ tsp oregano
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar You can add more
- ½ tsp oregano dry
- ½ tsp thyme dry
- ½ cup feta cheese Cut into cubes, and use a sharp knife to cut into smaller cubed pieces.
- 1 red pepper In olive oil sliced
Instructions
- Drain the olives and toss everything into a bowl.
- Gently stir to let all those flavors combine
- Place in the fridge to slightly chill.
- Serve and enjoy
KALI SAS OREXI!! 🙂