Shelly's Recipe

GREEK SALAD WITH SPICY CUCUMBER DRESSING AND PITA CHIPS

Category: Salad

4 pita bread rounds
1 tsp paprika and dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Pinch of cinnamon
4 vine-ripe tomatoes,halved, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 celery ribs from the heart, thinly sliced at an angle
1 red or green bell pepper, seeded, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 cup flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tsp ground cumin
1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 to 1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 lb feta, crumbled
8 jarred pepperoncini peppers
1 cup pitted Calamata olives

Preheat the oven to 400. Split the pitas open into 8 halves. Lay the bread out on your countertop, insides facing up.

In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, thyme, oregano and cinnamon. Sprinkle the spices evenly over the split bread. Place the bread on an oven rack and toast until golden and crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and tear into jagged pieces about the size of tortilla chips and reserve.

On a large serving platter, combine the tomatoes, half of the cucumber, and the onion, celery, bell pepper and parsley, season with salt and pepper.

To a food processor, add the remaining cucumber, the yogurt, cumin, garlic, lemon juice and Tabasco sauce and a little salt. Process the , adding the olive oil in a thin stream until smooth; taste the dressing and adjust the seasonings.

Arrange the pita crisps on the salad, then
drizzle the dressing all over. Finish off your salad with a pile of the feta, pepperoncini and olives. Serves 4