Turkish cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Beyaz Peynir Mezesi (White Cheese Meze)

White cheese cubes with olive oil and oregano, served with tomato and melon – the classic opener of every rakı table.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 300 g feta (Turkish beyaz peynir)
• 1/2 honeydew melon
• 2 tomatoes
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp pul biber (Aleppo pepper)
• 8 olives
• 1/2 bunch mint

Instructions

1. Take the white cheese out of the fridge 10 min. before serving and rinse briefly in cold water if it is very salty; then pat dry.
2. Cut the cheese into even cubes of about 2 cm so it can be easily picked up with a toothpick.
3. Deseed, peel and cut the melon into similarly sized cubes; quarter and deseed the tomatoes.
4. Arrange the cheese, melon and tomato alternately in rows on a flat platter and distribute the olives in between.
5. Drizzle the cheese with the olive oil, sprinkle with oregano and pul biber, and scatter the mint leaves over it.
6. Serve immediately while the melon is cool and the cheese is at room temperature, with flatbread on the side.