I have visited Turkey several times, and I’m always struck by the careful and accomplished cooking in that country. From the fine restaurants on the Bosporus to simple cafes in Sultanahmet, it seems almost impossible to have a bad meal. Many meals either begin with or consist of a collection of delicious, full-flavored small dishes called meze.
This is a recipe for one of my favorite meze. In it, salty, tangy feta cheese is balanced with the rich, warm flavor of toasted walnuts and accented with fresh parsley and ground black pepper. It’s delicious on crackers or spread on bread and topped with sliced tomatoes to make a simple sandwich.
Recipe
(adapted from Soft White Cheese and Walnut Dip in Turquoise: A Chef’s Travels in Turkey by Greg and Lucy Malouf)
Ingredients
2/3 cup shelled walnuts, whole or pieces
6 oz feta cheese (preferably sheep’s)
2 tablespoons Greek-style (strained) yoghurt
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon best quality extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Scatter the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven until they are fragrant and a deep golden brown, about 10 minutes.
3. Scoop the walnuts into a kitchen towel and rub them vigorously to remove as much of their skins as possible.
4. Chop the nuts finely and then pour them into a sieve. Shake to remove any remaining flakes of skin and dust.
5. Put all of the ingredients into a large bowl and blend together. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. (Note: you can substitute regular plain yoghurt for strained or Greek-style yoghurt. The dish will be slightly looser and less creamy, but still delicious.)
Dress with a sprinkling of olive oil and serve with bread or crackers. The spread will keep refrigerated for several days, but bring it up to room temperature before serving. (It tastes much better that way.) 
