Whipped Feta And Olive Crostini
Whipped feta and olive crostini remind me of my travels in Europe. Order a cocktail or glass of wine there and you might be served a couple of crostini and some olives to enjoy with your drinks. Usually no more than a couple of mouthfuls, it is a delightful tradition that I enjoy.
The whipped feta and olive crostini are an incredibly easy appetizer to put together. If you are like me, you might already have the ingredients in you kitchen, making them perfect for last minute entertaining. In this case, I sliced a small baguette, brushed the slices of bread with extra virgin olive oil and then toasted them quickly in the oven. I then spread the crostini with whipped Greek feta cheese and topped them with a mix of marinated olives and roasted red peppers.
Not only do the feta and olive crostini make a great nibble to serve with drinks when you are entertaining, they also make a delicious snack. If my husband and I have had a big lunch and only want something light in the evening, cheese and crusty bread or whole grained crackers are what we usually decide to snack on. Having some imported Greek feta in the fresh and a fresh baguette, my thoughts went to a cream cheese and olive spread that I grew up eating in sandwiches when I was young. Instead of a sandwich, I decided to make simple crostini and top them with whipped feta and olives for our evening snack. They reminded me of our travels to Europe when we were often served a small crostini and olives to go along with a glass of white wine.
Whipped Feta And Olive Crostini
Serves 4 to 6, adjust the recipe according
Preheat the oven to 350
- 1 small baguette, sliced on a diagonal into 1/2 inch slices
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 c. of your favorite artisan olives that have been pitted and roughly cut
- several slices of roasted red pepper (I bought mine at my grocer’s olive bar along with the olives)
- 4 oz. feta cheese ( I used imported Greek feta packed in brine)
- 1/2 c. whipped cream cheese (if you use regular cream cheese, let it soften)
- a sprig of fresh thyme, leaves removed and minced
- a sprig of fresh oregano, leaves removed and minced
- freshly ground black pepper
- a pinch of red pepper flakes
Place the sliced baguette onto a baking sheet, brush with olive oil and bake until golden and crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool. Chop the olives and place them into a small bowl, add the fresh herbs and the spices. Drizzle with a little olive oil and mix. Let sit for at least 10 minutes for the flavors to mingle. Crumble the feta cheese in a bowl and the add the whipped cream cheese and whip until combined. Spread each slice of bread with a generous amount of the whipped feta, then top with a tablespoon of olives.
If you use regular cream cheese, you might want to place the feta and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until the cheeses are mixed. The whipped cream cheese and the feta packed in brine that I used were soft enough to whip easily by hand.
Depending on the feta cheese you buy, if the cheese mixture is a little dry, you can add a tablespoon of olive oil, mayonnaise or a little olive brine,
You can prepare the crostini ahead of time and store them in an airtight container.
If you don’t like feta, you can substitute goat cheese or other soft, creamy cheese.
Other toppings such as cherry tomatoes, roasted peppers, jam or a drizzle of honey go great with the whipped feta cheese as well.
NoTes From The Kitchen
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An appetizer to serve along with drinks can be as simple as cheese and crackers or cured meats but without much more work, these whipped feta and olive crostini are very nice. When it comes to appetizers, crostini are one of my favorites as they can be put together in minutes. They are simple finger food that is easy to eat and are great with a glass of wine or your favorite cocktail.
In the summer when there are so many fresh vegetables available, think about sautéed mushrooms, chopped cherry tomatoes and basil or roasted red peppers as additional toppings for crostini. Easy and delicious, share a variety of crostini with your friends at your next party.
This looks so yummy, Karen. Thanks for sharing. I’ll try it when we have friends around for drinks and snacks.
Such a nice, simple recipe! And the sort of thing we like when we want a light dinner or lunch. You’re right that these would be great with drinks. Really good stuff — thanks.
Karen, sounds delish! Will definitely give this one a try.
Simple and very tasty..I love whipped Feta.
angiesrecipes
http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com
That sounds lovely – I just had a feta and chorizo omelette for lunch today!
A perfect starter for any meal! Just bought some fresh goat feta at the market — and a nice loaf of bread! I think these will grace our table this evening!
It seems like such an elegant thing, to serve a little bit like this with a cocktail. But it’s also practical. My uncle owns two bars, and he tells me that it’s essential to make sure the patrons eat at least something, so they don’t get too tipsy!
I LOVE feta so this sounds delicious!
These are gorgeous, Karen. I love the idea of the whipped feta. We often have crostini/bruschetta to go with an aperitif or as a starter and just perfect in the summer. And, as you say, brilliant for a light meal.
Such a delicious appetizer, I would definitely love it!😋
This sounds right up my alley! Thanks for the recipe.
These would make a perfect tapas. I love feta and olives!
These look delish. We had something similar at my sisters place last night. Yummo!
I am always looking for recipes using feta cheese. This is going to be my appetizer the next time I entertain. Thanks Karen.
I am always looking for recipes using feta cheese. This is going to be my appetizer the next time I entertain. Thanks Karen.
Feta and olives – Is there anything better? Well, you’ve made it better with this excellent crostini. Love it!
That looks so good! Also, a nice reminder that you can entertain using simple ingredients… you don’t have to make yourself crazy (and a relaxed host is the best kind of host).
Perfect for a light dinner, so simple but looks delicious!
I love crostini with everything!….yours are delicious….the pictures are perfect!!…..Abrazotes, Marcela
oh yum how delicious karen. gotta love fetta and olives together! Your little green dish is so cute too.
cheers
sherry
With two of my favorite things, I know I would love this. I hadn’t thought about whipping feta.
Fabulous. And perfect for me. Olives and feta are the bomb!!!
We would love this! The tang of the feta and olives are a perfect pairing on the appetizer table — go good, Karen.
Oh, Karen. This is divine — and definitely on the menu. I love every single thing here and even HAVE every single thing! Olive and almonds are something I always associate with France; crostini with Italy. Always fabulous!
So pretty!
I have at last convinced my husband that olives are yummy, but I cannot win with either feta or goats cheese!
Have a good week, Diane
Mouthwatering simplicity! (And oh the delight of a little cafe tucked away to soak up the ambiance of a place while traveling!)
This will be made very soon! We have company coming and this is the perfect appetizer. We love feta… and this is not only easy but pretty too.
Happy Tuesday! Thank you for another fabulous share!
That looks very tasty. Wish I’d had this a week or so ago when I was making lots of crostini to take to a social gathering.
These delicious bites could pass a dinner with a glass of wine. Might even do this tonight as the heat index continues to rise, dinner ideas start to get simpler by the minute. LOL
Looks wonderful, Karen.
Amalia
xo
Love your fresh vegetables on crostini and love the whipped feta recipe. I like the addition of cream cheese in there too! great recipe Karen!
Your crostini sounds fabulous, Karen. I love the care you put into your recipes and the photography 🙂
I had herby cream cheese on crackers tonight. It’s just a step further, isn’t it? 🙂 🙂
I would love this crostini! i could even make a meal out of a little plateful of these! 🙂
Indeed that is nice and easy! all you need is a good glass of wine
I can’t imagine anyone not loving this crostini combo! I’m delighted!
I love this appertize. Thank you for sharing the recipe, Karen!
The olive bar is a great place to pick out some great toppers for crostini’s! I love this idea and perfect for summer!
Feta, olives and toast! It doesn’t get much better!
Such great combinations! Perfect for a snack or entertaining.
Crostini are the perfect appetizer. I love the ingredients you used in your recipe.
Crostini are my favorite finger food. Excellent combination of flavors and textures. YUM.
My husband is an avid olive lover and we always have a variety of olives in our refrigerator, I will enjoy this recipe very much, Karen. Thanks!
I adore feta … this sounds like a super recipe! Thanks Karen …
An awesome use for homegrown tomatoes. Summer eating doesn’t get better than this. 😉
These crostini are so versatile. These are perfect simple summer meal. Olives and feta is a fantastic combo!
They look wonderful and what a great idea to pair olives or tapenade with whipped feta! I’m going to try it!!
Love crostini–and good so many ways!