Fresh earthy Walnut, Basil and Ġbejna Spread; a wonderful topping for your bread for lunchtime or even breakfast. Easily prepared in few minutes!
This recipe is influenced by the Aegean (Cypriot/Turkish) meze: Girit ezmesi, which I stumbled upon last Summer. Girit ezmesi is a fresh cheese spread prepared for breakfast, that has a mix of herbs and nuts. I thought this would work wonderfully with some staple Maltese ingredients such as ġbejniet, basil and a mix of walnuts and pistachios.
Ingredients for the Walnut, Basil and Ġbejna Spread
- Fresh Ġbejniet apart from their creamy texture which makes the spread as is. This cheese is soft with its unique delicate flavour that pairs perfectly with herbs and nuts.
- Dried ġbejna offers a deeper pungent flavour.
- Walnuts are earthy yet slightly bitter, yet in this spread give depth in the flavour.
- Pistachios with their sweet earthy nutty flavour balance the walnuts for a milder aroma all throughout.
- Basil: the ideal fresh herb for such spreads! It has a sweet distinct flavour that doesn’t overpower the other ingredients.
- Garlic is needed, but don’t add too much raw cloves as they might over power your spread.
- Olive oil adds to the richness of the flavour and to the texture of this spread.
- Salt and pepper: be careful with the seasonings and taste before, as your cheese might be quite salty already and you would need to put in less.
- Chili Flakes: add them to your liking.
How to make this spread
You truly only need a couple of minutes for this spread to be ready! First, ideally you roast the nuts so that their flavour is enhanced. However, this step is optional and you can skip it, although personally I wouldn’t recommend so. Afterwards, get your favourite food processor or blender, and crush the nuts, garlic and dried ġbejna until crumbs. At this stage, I like to also add some salt to help everything break down and get an even distribution of the salt. Once everything is crushed and uniform, add the basil, olive oil and black pepper and blend until a thick paste is formed. In a bowl, mash the fresh ġbejniet with a fork. Add the thick green paste to the cheese, whilst mashing and mixing everything together. The spread is ready when you get an even distribution of the cheese and you have an even colour. Drizzle some olive oil, and add some fresh herbs on top, or chili flakes before serving.
FAQs
How to store any leftovers?
Store this dip in an airtight container in the fridge for not more than 5 days. Ideally, add a layer of olive oil on top so that it doesn’t go brown.
Can I use other nuts?
Of course! The traditional Aegean recipe I based this off, only contains walnuts, therefore pistachios are also my own personal addition. Therefore, you can add any nut you like such as cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, etc. In addition, you can also make this nut free and instead use your favourite seeds!
Can I use another type of cheese?
Yes! Similar cheeses to the Maltese ġbejna which will work just as great are feta cheese, soft goat cheese, ricotta and any other crumbly soft cheese. The only thing, is that you need to be careful with the seasonings, as each cheese requires a different amount.
How to serve this spread?
This spread can be served with bread, so that you can enjoy a generous layer of this spread on it. It also works wonderfully as a spread to your favourite sandwich or wrap. Alternatively, you can also serve it as a dip with plenty of other nibbles.
Walnut, Basil and Ġbejna Spread
Ingredients
- 200 g fresh ġbejniet
- 30 g dried ġbejna peppered or plain
- handful of fresh basil leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- 50 g walnuts
- 30 g pistachios
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- chili flakes to taste
Instructions
- Roast the walnuts and pistachios for about 8 minutes at 180°C/350°F. Stir the nuts halfway through and keep an eye so not to burn them. Let slightly cool.
- Once the nuts are slightly cooled, add to a blender together with the salt, garlic and dried ġbejna. Blend everything until everything is in crumbs.
- Add the basil, olive oil and black pepper. Blend until you get a smooth paste.
- Transfer the paste to a bowl and add the fresh ġbejniet, mash everything together with a fork, making sure that it's well combined and there is an even colour.
- Place the spread in a shallow plate or bowl, drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle with chili flakes. Serve with bread or crackers!
If you have any questions, feedback or comments on this recipe, please leave a comment below. Please also rate this recipe by double clicking on the stars below. If you did make this recipe, tag @apronandwhisk and hashtag #apronandwhisk, as I’m curious to see what you create!
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