Feta Spread Recipe

Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F. Toss the 2 cups peeled and 1/2-inch cubed butternut squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until tender and lightly caramelized.

While squash roasts, heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the diced Fuji apple and chopped 6 Medjool dates with 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar. Cook, stirring, for 4–6 minutes until apples soften and dates start to break down. Remove from heat.

When squash is done, add it to the apple-date mixture and gently toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let the compote cool to warm or room temperature (about 10 minutes) before using in the spread assembly so it doesn't overly thin the feta spread.

In a food processor or high-speed blender, add 1.5 cups crumbled feta, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 3 tablespoons tahini, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1 minced garlic clove.

Pulse until the mixture becomes smooth and homogenous, scraping down the sides as needed. If the mixture is too thick, add up to 2 tablespoons of water, one tablespoon at a time, and blend until the spread reaches a thick but spreadable consistency (similar to cream cheese).

Taste and adjust: add up to 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or a pinch more lemon if desired. Transfer the feta-tahini spread to a shallow serving dish and smooth the top with a spatula.

Fold 1 cup of the cooled butternut squash & apple compote gently into about half of the feta spread if you want marbling, or reserve the compote for spooning on top. For presentation, leave some spread plain and swirl some compote into the center.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pistachios over the spread, focusing on the area with compote so some nuts mix into the fruit/squash.

Halve 4 extra Medjool dates and arrange them decoratively atop the spread, tucking them into the compote swirls.

Drizzle 2 teaspoons balsamic vinaigrette lightly over the center and finish with a pinch (about 1/4 tsp) flaky sea salt and 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper to brighten the flavors.

Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of ciabatta slices lightly with 2 teaspoons olive oil.

Grill the bread 1–2 minutes per side until golden char marks appear and the bread is warm and slightly crisped. Remove and keep warm.

Serve the feta spread topped with compote, dates and pistachios alongside the grilled ciabatta. Encourage guests to spoon a bit of the compote and date onto each slice before spreading a generous smear of the feta-tahini mixture.