Turkish cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Tulum Cheese Spread

Pungent tulum cheese mashed with butter, walnuts and pepper flakes into a spreadable paste.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 300 g tulum cheese (or strong feta instead)
• 60 g butter
• 60 g walnuts
• 1 tsp pul biber (Aleppo pepper)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp parsley
• 1 flatbread

Instructions

1. Take the butter out of the fridge 20 min. beforehand so it's soft and spreadable; roughly chop the walnuts.
2. Crumble the tulum cheese into a bowl and mash with a fork until no large lumps remain.
3. Add the soft butter and mix vigorously for 2–3 min. until a smooth, pale creamy paste forms.
4. Fold in two-thirds of the walnuts and half the pul biber; do not add extra salt, as the cheese is already salty.
5. Chill the paste for 10 min. so it firms up and the pepper heat infuses through.
6. Spread it into wavy ridges on a plate with the back of a spoon, drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with the remaining walnuts, pul biber and parsley, and serve with warm flatbread.