Tzatziki
Commonly dolloped onto a gyro or served with fritters, tzatziki is a good representation of Greek flavors, bright, fresh, and tangy. It can stand on its own as a meza plate or be included in a meal as a side dish. Using the strained Greek-style yogurt that is available now makes this dish particularly nice.
- 1 ½ cup plain yogurt, strained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced finely
- ½ teaspoon salt
- a pinch of pepper, either white or freshly ground black
- 1 medium cucumber, grated or chopped fine
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill (optional)
It really couldn’t be much simpler:
- Put the yogurt in a bowl, stir in the rest of the ingredients. If the cucumber is particularly wet, you might want to squeeze some of the water out (with your hands) before adding it in.
- Mix together thoroughly, taste it carefully, and adjust the flavors. Add a little more oil if it’s too tangy or salty, or a little more salt or vinegar if it’s flat.
- Let it sit at least an hour and garnish it with a sprig of fresh dill or a little drizzle of olive oil just before serving.
Tzatziki will keep, refrigerated, for a couple days.