Mediterranean Mezze Platter

If you thought the colorful snackboard dinners flooding Instagram and Pinterest are new to the scene, think again. Folks across the Mediterranean and Middle East have been making these snack setups for generations, you name it mezze.

What is a mezze platter?

Mezze (or meze) is a selection of small dishes eaten as an appetizer or light meal. Content varies by region, but the concept of grazing on a board filled with savory treats remains the same.

Dips and spreads like hummus, yogurt, and baba ganoush are the order of the day. You might also find muhammara, a pepper and walnut spread that’s full of flavor without being overly spicy. A few breads like pita or lavash are standard, along with things like olives, cheese, tabbouleh, fresh and pickled vegetables, and fruit.

How to make a mezze platter at home

It’s easy to put together a mezze platter at home using ordinary grocery store ingredients. I aim for a combination of flavors and textures: creamy, crunchy, fresh, pickled, dried, savory and sweet.

1. Start with a few spreads, like hummus, baba ganoush, yogurt and muhammara. You can make your own or find store-bought options.
2. Add a favorite cheese. Feta is readily available and tastes great with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of fresh or dried herbs.
3. Add aromatic olives or another pickled vegetablelike artichoke hearts or peppers.
4. Cut up raw vegetables that are good for dippingsuch as cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, carrots, fennel and radishes.
5. Add a matching bread to scoop up all the goodies, like pita or lavash. These are delicious when lightly brushed with olive oil and reheated in either the oven or on the grill.
6. Add dried fruitsuch as dates, figs or apricots, or fresh fruit such as grapes, melons or pears.
7. Prepare a stack of napkins to manage messy hands.

Mezze shortcuts

The beauty of mezze is that there is no precise formula for what goes on your plate, in what proportion, and how much. Anything goes if you ask me. You can make everything 100 percent yourself, right down to the homemade yoghurt if that’s your jam.

I usually make a dip or two myself and then fill up with store-bought items. Hummus is widely available in grocery stores. You may also find other suitable spreads such as Tapenade or Baba Ganoush. Visit the Olive Bar at Sprouts or Whole Foods for pickled goodies, and pick up pre-cut veggies or baby carrots to save even more time.

These are just ideas to get you started. You can always rip open the fridge and look for little bits of this and that. It’s an excellent way to clean out the fridge!

Make-ahead tips and serving suggestions

Mezze is a great meal ahead of time because you can assemble and refrigerate almost everything before serving. It is suitable for a family dinner or to serve company.

This muhammara keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. I would suggest that you take everything out of the fridge a good 30 minutes before serving so it can come a little closer to room temperature.

At the last minute, all you have to do is pull out your prettiest plate and stack everything on top. Things like dips, spreads, olives, and feta work best in small dishes or ramekins. Bread, vegetables and fruit can be placed directly on your plate.

Try these other favorite Greek dishes!

• moussaka
• Lemon Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce
• Spanakopita
• Baked shrimp in tomato and feta sauce
• Greek meatballs