White Butter Bean, Feta and Za’atar Spread

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Serving size:8
Prep Time:
Total Time:
White Butter Bean, Feta and Za’atar Spread

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cannellini beans, soaked overnight in water, drained and peeled
  • sea salt
  • fresh ground pepper
  • 1 garlic head, cut in half
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 small lemon (juice only)
  • 5 oz crumbled feta
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seed, toasted and grounded
  • 1 tsp za'atar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

 

Bring a saucepan of water to boil and add the peeled beans. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes until the beans are soft and mushy, then season. Cool, drain, then process to a rough puree.


Meanwhile, place the garlic on a small baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil and roast until soft, about 45 minutes. Cool, then squeeze the garlic out of its skin and add to the mashed beans. Stir half the olive oil into the bean mixture. Mix in the lemon zest and juice. Then add the feta, mint and cumin, stirring until you have a rough chunky puree, and season.

 

Place in a serving dish, drizzle with the rest of the olive oil and sprinkle with the za’atar. Serve with flat bread.

 

Recipe from Purple Citrus & Sweet Perfume by Silvena Rowe/Ecco, 2011.