Marinated Feta
Cheese.
Just let that word float around in your consciousness, recalling probably every good memory you've ever had in your life. Cheese is on pizza. It's all over macaroni. It's roasted-toasted on a grilled cheese sandwich. You can make it from goats or cows or sheep or almonds (but why?) and maybe from humans, (I don't know for sure, but I am assuming, but also, please don't.)
This year the Nolandians have been growing an herb/flower/vegetable/nonsense garden on the balcony. Basically, we got way too excited about the prospect of growing things, and so we bought pots and with no rhyme or reason, we are growing all the things. One of the things, ( or actually two, since we have two large pots full) that we are growing is basil. And while we are psyched that it is growing so well, we have like... a lot of basil. I never realized how much basil I don't eat until we started growing it. I like some on top of a pizza, or tossed into my spaghetti, or thrown in a salad. Hell, I'll throw leaves into my sun tea and then also make pesto for dinner. But, it just keeps growing. Continuously.
So I am always on a lookout now for more ways to use this basil. And recently, I found one. A simple, moron-proof recipe for marinated feta cheese. (Bet you were wondering when I was getting back to the cheese.)
Story time:
Marinated Feta
Gather
1 jar.
A whole hella-lotta olive oil. Don't be cheapy. Buy some decent stuff. Extra Virgin. And I like my olive oil like I like my men--from Italy. (excepting Mr. Nolandia of course. He gets a pass)
A chunk of feta. Like, a block of it. But make sure it isn't too crumbly. Mine was a little....crumbled.And it didn't bode well.
Herbs. +Now for herbs, I used as much basil as humanly possible, some peppermint and spearmint leaves, (because YOLO) and some sprigs of rosemary. I picked these herbs because I am growing them on my balcony and they were just languishing there, needing direction.
Method:
Fill jar halfway full of oil
Cut cheese into one inch cubes. Or whatever size. You're the boss.
Drop cheese cubes and herbs into jar
Cover with more oil
Let sit for at least a day.
Eat within two weeks. But make sure that the cheese and herbs always stay covered in oil, if not, bad things.
Anyway, I felt like f*cking Giada after I made this and you probably will too. The cheese is great on salads (yo, the oil is already there!) and it is PERFECT as an oil/herb/cheese pasta topper. You're welcome.
See ya back next week for another travel based post, because y'all, we are ESCAPING for the motherland!
( and by that, I mean, Italy.)
xx