Roasted Red Pepper Spread

In college, I lived with another Katie. You can imagine the confusion two girls living in the same house with the same name caused, especially at a time when landlines were still a primary means of communication. Friends and salesmen alike would call and ask for Katie, and our purposely impish response, “Which one?” was generally answered with a long, contemplative pause. Most friends could tell the difference, but both of us learned to pass the phone quickly when a friend TMI-ed the wrong Katie!

I owe my undying love of all things Mediterranean to Katie's influence. She introduced me to Pita Jungle in Tempe, and I couldn't believe I had lived 19 years of my life without experiencing red pepper hummus. Completely enamored with their menu of previously untasted flavors, I would sneak off for hummus, shawarma, or a gyro under the guise of needing a quiet place to study between my afternoon and evening classes.

Six years after graduation, and several failed attempts at making my own red pepper hummus later, I finally put down the chick peas and crafted this tasty spread which works well on a pita sandwich or as a dip for veggies and pita chips. While I still get Pita Jungle cravings, this takes the edge of on the days I can't make it to Tempe for lunch.

Get out your food processor and gather these ingredients:

1 8 oz package cream cheese (get it to room temperature, it will be much easier to work with)

1/3 lb feta cheese (if possible, buy a block and crumble it yourself)

2 garlic cloves

Juice from 1 lemon

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp cayenne pepper

A few twists of freshly ground black pepper

6-8 slices jarred roasted red peppers

Less than ¼ cup Olive Oil

Start with just the peeled garlic cloves in the food processor, and hit pulse a few times to mince it up. Next add the cream cheese. Don't just drop the whole block it; pinch off pieces of cream cheese and drop them into the processor bowl. Crumble the feta into smallish pieces, then run the processor for about 60 seconds to blend the cream cheese and feta. Scrape down the sides, then add the lemon juice, oregano, thyme, cayenne, and black pepper. Run the processor again for another 60 seconds. Scrape down the sides again, then add your roasted red pepper slices. The more slices you add, the more heat your spread will have (personally I err on the side of a little extra heat). Blend one last time for about 60 seconds, drizzling olive oil down the hatch to give it a more spreadable texture. After the final blend, give it a stir to ensure you've achieved the desired texture.

While it makes a great dip, my favorite way to enjoy this spread is on a pita sammie. To make this sammie, just layer a generous amount of Roasted Red Pepper Spread onto two pitas. Top with spinach or another leafy green and sliced deli-style gyro meat.