Tomato And Whipped Feta Crostini

These tomato and whipped feta crostini make for an appealing appetizer that can easily turn into a light meal.

The original recipe can be found on Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa website.

Whipped Feta is easy to make

Very little work is involved in making whipped feta. Simply place the ingredients in a food processor or mixing bowl and whip until smooth. Whipping adds volume, while olive oil and cream cheese makes a spreadable product. When topped with the tomato salad, these crostini made a nice plate of appetizers.

My husband– who’s never embraced sheep’s milk cheeses– felt the flavor of feta was too strong to enjoy the spread alone. A drizzle of honey toned down the assertiveness. After making this batch, I’m open to playing with the ratios so we both will enjoy it.

I’m also open to experimenting with other cheeses and ingredients to make custom, seasonal spreads.

Whipped Feta and Tomato Crostini

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 6 people or more

Ingredients

For the whipped feta

• 6 oz feta cheese, crumbled (I bought a block and crumbled it myself)
• 2 oz cream cheese, at room temperature (set it out about 30 minutes before needed)
• 1/3 cup your favorite extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (one regular sized lemon)
• salt and pepper

For the tomatoes

• 2 shallots or onions, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
• 2 tbsp red wine or apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup your favorite olive oil
• 2 pounds cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in halves and quarters
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tbsp julienned basil plus more for garnish

The rest

• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (or chopped walnuts)
• 1 baguette, sliced into about 20 slices.

Instructions

For the whipped feta

• With a food processor or mixer, mix the cream cheese and feta together.
• Add 1/3 cup olive oil, lemon juice plus salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth.
• Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until needed.

For the tomatoes

• About an hour before you plan to serve, combine the shallots, garlic and vinegar in a bowl. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Whisk in 1/3 cup olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and basil. Let stand while toasting the baguette slices. Before serving, taste and adjust the seasonings.

The rest

• Toast the baguette slices using your preferred method. We grilled ours, but if a grill wasn't available, I'd use an air fryer or the oven.
• Spread a generous amount of whipped feta on the crostini. Top with a portion of the tomatoes. Arrange on a serving tray. Scatter the nuts and remaining basil over top.

Like this recipe?Be sure to Pin It for later!

Those Summer Nights…

Where we live in Maryland, Summer is hanging on, but every now and then we get a taste of the golden days of Autumn. There are plenty of opportunities left to eat outdoors.

This week the bloggers at I Heart Cooking Clubs are celebrating “Summer Nights.” Be sure to drop by for a peek at what we’re serving at our virtual cook out.