Greek Layer Dip

Last week I had Greek Nachos on the menu, but I never got around to making them. When I was planning Finley's party menu, I decided to put the Greek ingredients I already had to good use and made this Greek Layer Dip, which was another really popular dish at the party. It's so tangy and yummy! It's a fun (and much healthier) take on the perennial party favorite, Mexican 7 Layer Dip.

I made this several hours ahead of time and had a problem with the cucumbers releasing their juices and making the dip a little watery. (That's why my picture isn't too pretty - I'd had to scoop half of it out to drain the excess moisture and then reassemble it. Big mess but it still tasted great!) So my advice would to be prepare the parts ahead of time, but wait until the last minute to assemble it. Also I'm not going to list many quantities because there's no real right or wrong here - just use however much you prefer and/or in accordance to the number of people you're serving.

Greek Layer Dip

Hummus, homemade or store-bought (I used the plain hummus from Costco)

Tzatziki sauce, homemade or store-bought (my recipe is listed below)

Cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks

Tomatoes, seeded and cut into chunks

Kalamata olives, sliced

Fresh parsley,minced

Pita chips, for serving

In a glass dish, place a layer of hummus in the bottom. Top with a thin layer of Greek olives, a thicker layer of tzaitiki sauce, a thin layer of cucumbers, another layer of hummus and then top the hummus with cucumbers, tomatoes and olives. Garnish with a little parsley. Serve with pita chips.

Tzatziki Sauce

a Baking and Eggs original

12 oz plain Greek yogurt

4-5 oz feta cheese, crumbled

zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh dill

salt and pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, feta, lemon zest, mint and dill. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Store in refrigerator until ready to use. (If you're making the Tzatziki but not using it with the Greek Layer Dip, you'll want to add 1/4-1/2 cup shredded cucumbers that has been drained.)