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Recently, I purchased a trio of serving dishes: a petite, silver-plated one found at a thrift store perfect for presenting snacks to elevate their appearance; a mid-size colorful enamel platter for everyday everything; and a very large, stainless-steel one for dinner parties. I’m not sure why this happened, but I must admit that I love the energy which platters bring to the dining setup, and the gentle sense of pomp and formality they add even the simplest of meals. My love for the platter inspired today's dish, one last celebration with the very last summer produce atop whipped feta.

Roasted Veggies with Za'atar with Creamy Feta Dip

It requires a food processor to prepare the feta spread.

Prep 15 min
Cooking 40 minutes
Yields 4

• 400g courgettes, chopped into uneven, roughly 3cm x 3cm pieces
• One red onion, skinned and sliced as 1.5cm wedges at their widest point
• 300 grams of feta cheese
• High-quality olive oil
• 2 tsp za’atar, plus extra for serving
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 small aubergine (450g), diced unevenly, roughly 5cm x 4cm shapes
• 100g greek yoghurt
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon – use just half a tablespoon of juice
• A 570g jar of butter beans, drained to get 240g (save the rest for another use)
• 20 grams of fresh mint, leaves picked and torn, to serve

Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) or 425°F and prepare two big baking sheets with (ideally reusable) baking paper.

Put the courgettes and onion in a mixing bowl, break in a third of the feta in small pieces, and add three tablespoons of oil, one teaspoon of za'atar and half a teaspoon of salt. Tip out on to one of the lined trays, ensuring the veggies are spaced apart.

Put the chopped aubergine into the same bowl, and add two tablespoons of oil, another teaspoon of za’atar and a quarter-teaspoon of salt. Transfer to the second sheet, setting the bowl aside. Roast both trays of vegetables for 30 minutes, until tender and golden in spots.

In the meantime, add the leftover 200g feta to a food processor along with the yogurt and three tablespoons of oil, include the lemon zest, half a tablespoon of lemon juice and a quarter-teaspoon of salt, and process until creamy.

Smooth the feta mixture onto a serving dish large enough for all the veggies. Once the vegetables are baked, tip them all, with their juices, back into the saved bowl, stir through the butter beans and mint, and season with a little freshly ground black pepper. Check for seasoning and oil, adding both to taste, then spoon over the feta spread and present.