Htipiti Tirosalata (Whipped Cheese Salad)

Htipiti (tirosalata) is a fiery Greek feta dip from the Macedonia region, and it’s about as simple as it gets. Fried hot peppers get peeled, chopped fine, and mashed into crumbled feta with olive oil using nothing but a fork. That’s it. Three ingredients, no blender, no fuss.

The traditional peppers for this are tsouskes, long green Macedonian hot peppers that bring serious heat and a fruity, smoky flavor once fried. If you can’t find them, any hot frying pepper will work. Frying the peppers first softens them and loosens the skins for peeling, and it deepens their flavor in a way that raw peppers can’t match.

The fork is a must here. A food processor turns this into a smooth paste, but the texture should be rough and chunky with visible bits of pepper running through the salty feta.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a fork, never a food processor. The rustic, chunky texture is what makes htipiti different from a smooth cheese dip.
• Fry the peppers until the skins blister and char slightly. This makes peeling easy and concentrates the pepper flavor.
• Start with fewer peppers and add more to taste. Tsouskes can be extremely hot, and you can always add heat but can’t take it away.
• Let the dip sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. The olive oil and pepper juices soak into the feta and mellow the flavors.

Variations

• Roasted red pepper version: Use roasted red bell peppers for a milder, sweeter htipiti that’s more crowd-friendly.
• Smoky twist: Char the peppers over an open flame instead of frying for a deeper smokiness.
• Herb addition: Fold in a tablespoon of chopped fresh oregano or mint for a brighter, more aromatic spread.