Canterbury Bells

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Friday, December 28, 2012

A delicious and lovely Tomato Crostini...perfect colors for the holidays!
(I'd like to take full credit but it is from Barefoot Contessa's new book of "foolproof recipes".  So far so good...I've tried 3 of them.


Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta

6 oz feta cheese crumbled
2 oz cream cheese at room temp
2/3 cup olive oil   (divided)
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons minced shallots (1 shallot)
2 teaspoons minced garlic or 2 cloves
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 lbs. ripe cherry tomatoes-diced in ½ in pieces
2 Tablespoons fresh julienned basil leaves
20-25 diagonal cut baguette slices (I used English muffin sliced bread which I toasted in oven)
2 Tablespoons toasted pine nuts for garnish


Put both cheeses in food processor with steel blade and pulse till blended.
Add 1/3 cup of the olive oil, lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper till all smooth.
Cut up tomatoes about an hour before serving, combine with shallots, garlic, vinegar in a medium bowl. Let sit for about 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining olive oil (1/3 cup) 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teas. Pepper. Stir gently and set aside for 10 minutes. Stir in the basil and taste for seasoning.

To assemble the crostini, spread each slice of bread generously with whipped feta mixture. With a slotted spoon place the tomatoes on top. Put the crostini on plate and scatter with pine nuts.  Can add additional chopped basil if desired.

This recipe takes a little time, but it is so worth it...both in presentation and taste.

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