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Recently, I acquired a trio of serving dishes: a small, metallic tray from a local charity shop on which I serve crisps to make them look fancy; a mid-size colorful enamel platter for daily use; and an oversized, stainless-steel one for hosting guests. It's unclear how this occurred, but I must admit that I adore the vibe which platters bring to the dining setup, along with a touch of elegance and ceremony they lend to even basic dishes. This affection for platters has dictated today’s recipe, one last celebration with the very last summer produce atop fluffy feta.

Roasted Veggies with Za'atar and Creamy Feta Dip

You’ll need an electric mixer to prepare the feta spread.

Preparation 15 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Serves four portions

• 400g courgettes, chopped into uneven, roughly 3cm x 3cm pieces
• 1 red onion, skinned and sliced as 1.5cm wedges on the broad side
• 300 grams of feta cheese
• High-quality olive oil
• 2 tsp za’atar, plus extra for serving
• Fine sea salt and black pepper
• 1 small aubergine (450 grams), diced unevenly, about 5cm by 4cm pieces
• 100 grams of Greek yogurt
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon – use just half a tablespoon of juice
• 570g jar butter beans, drained to get 240g (reserve the remainder)
• 20 grams of fresh mint, leaves plucked and shredded, for garnishing

Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7 and line two large rectangular baking trays using parchment paper.

Put the courgettes and onion in a bowl, break in a third of the feta into bits, and add three tablespoons of oil, a teaspoon of za’atar and half a teaspoon of salt. Tip out on to one of the lined trays, making sure all the vegetables have enough legroom.

Put the chopped aubergine into the same bowl, adding two tablespoons of oil, another teaspoon of za’atar and a quarter-teaspoon of salt. Tip out on to the second tray, and save the bowl for later. Bake both trays of veggies for 30 minutes, until tender and golden in spots.

In the meantime, put the remaining 200g feta in a food processor with the yoghurt and three tablespoons of oil, then add the lemon zest, half a tablespoon of lemon juice and a quarter-teaspoon of salt, and blitz until smooth.

Smooth the feta mixture onto a serving dish big enough to hold all the vegetables. Once the vegetables are baked, transfer them all, with their juices, back into the reserved bowl, mix in the butter beans and mint, and season with a little freshly ground black pepper. Taste for salt and oil, adding both to taste, then spoon over the feta spread and serve.