Crostini with Whipped Feta and Roasted Tomatoes is a wonderful summer appetizer that adds Greek flavors to this classic Italian dish. It is perfect for entertaining as you can have all the components made ahead of time, so you and your guests can have fun assembling them together!
What are Crostini?
Crostini are small slices of toasted or grilled bread which are served as an appetizer or a quick snack. Typically a small loaf of bread, such as a baguette or a ciabatta, is thinly sliced, toasted, and then topped with a variety of seasonal vegetables, cheeses, or spreads.
What about Bruschetta?
Both crostini and bruschetta are toasted or grilled slices of bread used as antipasti (appetizers). The difference between the two is in the kind of bread used to make them. Bruschetta is typically made with larger, thicker slices of rustic, hearty Italian bread while crostini are smaller, with a finer texture. A bruschetta is in many ways similar to the French tartine, or, an open faced sandwich.
Ingredients for the Crostini with Whipped Feta & Roasted Tomatoes:
- Bread: a good baguette sliced on the diagonal and brushed with olive oil
- Tomatoes: grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, Roma, or, Campari.
- Seasoning: salt and pepper, fresh thyme, or, dried Greek oregano
- Extra virgin olive oil: always
- Feta cheese: use Greek Feta in brine and mash it up with a fork, or even better, make the whipped Feta spread
- Garlic: optional
How to make the crostini
- Gather all your ingredients and rinse the tomatoes:
- Roast the tomatoes and the garlic: roasting the tomatoes, enhances and deepens their sweetness and flavor, especially when they are not yet in season (your roasting time will depend on the size of the tomatoes you use)
- Make the easy whipped Feta spread (recipe follows)
- Brush the sliced bread with some olive oil and toast
- Assemble the crostini
Easy Substitutions:
- For the cheese: instead of Feta cheese you can use a cheese with milder taste, like a good quality (full fat), fresh Ricotta. Feta cheese can also be replaced by whipped goat cheese
- For the tomatoes: instead of grape tomatoes you can use small Roma tomatoes or even Campari tomatoes
- 1 baguette, sliced on the diagonal
- 2 cups multicolored grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 head of garlic
- --- extra virgin olive oil
- For the Whipped Feta Spread
- 8 oz. Greek Feta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 TBSP. white wine vinegar
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 3-4 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil
- --- fresh chives, minced
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- Slice the tomatoes in half, cut the top part of the head of garlic and bake for 30 minutes.
- Make the whipped Feta spread: In a small food processor, place the feta, Greek yogurt, cider vinegar, salt and pepper and process until fairly smooth.
- Slowly stream in the extra virgin olive oil, while continuing to blend (you may need more or less, depending on your desired consistency). Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Refrigerate for at least half an hour before using. Bring to room temperature, stir again and serve.
- Toast the sliced bread for just 10 minutes, or until lightly brown.
- Remove from the oven and spread some of the roasted garlic.
- Next, spread the whipped feta on the slices and then top with roasted tomatoes.
- Garnish with some fresh chives and serve.
More crostini recipes from the blog’s archives:
Crostini with Cannellini Beans
Spring Crostini with Fresh Ricotta
Another favorite recipe with whipped Feta spread
Mediterranean Meze Platter
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Very informative! And wonderful!
I am glad you find it informative, Kathy! Such a simple and delicious recipe!