Greek Fit-For-The-Gods Salad With Spicy Cucumber Dressing

Ingredients

• 4 pita bread rounds
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 pinch 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 bell pepper or green bell pepper (seeded, quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced)
• 1 cup flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
• salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 cup greek-style plain yogurt
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 1/2-1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 lb feta, crumbled
• 8 jarred pepperoncini peppers (hot peppers)
• 1 cup pitted kalamata olive
• 8 jarred grape leaves or store-bought stuffed grape leaves, drained

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 400°.

2. 2

   Split the pitas open into 8 halves.

3. 3

   Lay the bread out on your countertop, insides facing up.

4. 4

   In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, thyme, oregano and cinnamon. Sprinkle the spices evenly over the split bread.

5. 5

   Place the bread on an oven rack and toast until golden and crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Remove from the oven and tear into jagged pieces about the size of tortilla chips and reserve.

7. 7

   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.

8. 8

   To a food processor, add the remaining cucumber, the yogurt, cumin, garlic, lemon juice and Tabasco sauce and a little salt.

9. 9

   Process the ingredients, adding the olive oil in a thin stream until smooth; taste the dressing and adjust the seasonings.

10. 10

    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.

11. 11

    Serve with the stuffed grape leave on the side.