Photo by Scott Suchman and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky; for The Washington Post

 

This gorgeous dip has five layers of quintessential Mediterranean flavors — hummus, chickpeas, feta, scallions and herbs, and tzatziki. It’s ideal as a party starter, but, in a larger portion, it can also be a hearty vegetarian main. Serve with pita chips, crackers, pita wedges or crudités, for dipping.

Make ahead: The dip components can be prepared and refrigerated separately for up to 2 days in advance. The assembled dip can be prepared and refrigerated for up to 2 hours before serving.

 

 

Mediterranean Five-Layer Dip

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 English cucumber (10 ounces), unpeeled

1/2 teaspoon fine salt, divided

2 cups plain Greek yogurt (any fat level)

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for serving

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (from the same lemon)

1 small garlic clove, minced or finely grated

1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions (2 large scallions)

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped, plus more for serving

1/4 cup fresh dill fronds, chopped

Generous 1 cup (10 ounces) hummus, store-bought or homemade (see related recipe)

One (15-ounce) can chickpeas, preferably no-salt-added, drained, rinsed and patted dry

1 1/4  cups (5 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Pita chips, crackers or vegetable crudités, for serving

 

 

Directions:

 

To make the tzatziki, trim the ends off the cucumber, slice it in half lengthwise, then use a dessert spoon to scoop out and discard the seeds. Use the large holes of a box grater to grate the cucumber into a bowl. Toss the shredded cucumber with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, then transfer to a colander or strainer set over a bowl, and drain, at least 10 minutes.

Use your hands to squeeze as much of the liquid from the cucumber as possible. Transfer the cucumber to a medium bowl, and add the yogurt, oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and stir to combine.

In a small bowl, toss together the scallions, parsley and dill until combined.

To assemble the dip, spread the hummus on the bottom of a 7-cup serving dish — ideally a clear one so you can see the layers — such as a glass bowl or a square/rectangular dish. Top with the chickpeas, then the feta. Sprinkle with the scallion-herb mixture, then cover with the tzatziki, spreading it into an even layer.

Garnish with more parsley leaves and a drizzle of olive oil, and serve, with pita chips, crackers or vegetable crudités, for dipping.

 

Makes 12 servings

Serving size: 1/2 cup

 

Per serving: Calories 132 ; Total Fat 6 g (Sat Fat 2 g); Protein 9 g; Carb 12 g; Fiber 3 g; Cholesterol 11 mg; Sodium 285 mg; Total Sugar 2 g (including  0 g added sugar)