You’ll have better results if you buy feta by the block and crumble it yourself. If the feta you purchase comes in its own brine then you can skip the lemon juice and use the brine instead. Ripe tomatoes are a must!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅔ cup feta cheese, crumbled (try Narragansett Creamery Salty Sea Feta)
- 2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice (or feta brine)
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 slices close-crumbed bread, like pain de mie or quality multi-grain
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium juicy, vine-ripened tomato, sliced ½ inch thick
- 1 teaspoon salsa macha or other chili condiment, or to taste
Preparation
To make the feta spread, combine the oil, feta and lemon juice (or brine) in a small food processor and process into a smooth paste. Alternately, use a blender or a bowl, a fork and a lot of elbow grease. The feta and brine (if using) will be salty, so salt judiciously and add fresh pepper.
Next, grill or toast the bread on both sides and brush with olive oil. Slather the feta spread on one side of one piece of bread for each sandwich. Top with tomato slices and season gently with salt and pepper. Spoon a little salsa macha over tomatoes (depending on how spicy you like it) and top with second slice of bread. Slice in half (or not) and devour.
