Tomato Feta Pesto Bites Recipes

TOMATO & FETA PESTO BITES

Steps:

• Roll out the pastry on a surface lightly dusted with the Parmesan to about the thickness of a ten-pence piece. Stamp out 12 rounds using a 6cm plain cutter and line a shallow 12-hole bun tin. Chill for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6.
• Prick each pastry base with a fork and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack. Meanwhile, tear the leaves from the parsley stalks and put all but 12 of the small sprigs in a food processor with the pine nuts, then whizz until coarsely chopped. Then add the feta, garlic and oil and whizz to make a thick paste. Keep the reserved sprigs in a bowl of water in the fridge. The pastry bases will keep in a tin for up to 2 days and the pesto will keep in the fridge overnight.
• To serve, dollop a spoonful of the feta pesto onto the tarts and top each one with two cherry tomato halves. Garnish with the reserved parsley sprigs. Arrange on a platter and hand round with a bowl of black olives and sparkling mint & lemon juleps.

FETA PESTO

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the basil, feta cheese, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, artichoke heart, and sun-dried tomatoes. Cover, and pulse, adding oil as needed to facilitate blending until smooth. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.

AUTHENTIC BAKED FETA AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven at 350 F (180 C)
• In medium sized baking dish spread the tomatoes.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons over the tomatoes and toss.
• Place the feta in the center of the baking dish, sprinkle with oregano, black pepper and place the hot pepper on top of the feta. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Bake for 35 minutes. If adding pasta, start boiling it now and set aside.
• Remove from oven and smash the feta -tomato a bit before serving.
• Sprinkle with chopped mint before serving

GRILLED PORTOBELLOS WITH PESTO, TOMATOES AND FETA

Steps:

• Stir together pesto and olive oil, set aside.
• If desired, scrape off black gills under mushroom caps, and discard (the original recipe calls for this step but it is optional).
• Spoon 2 tablespoons pesto mixture into each mushroom cap and spread evenly.
• Gently mix feta cheese with diced tomatoes, and divide evenly to top each mushroom.
• If making ahead, wrap the topped mushroom in plastic wrap, and chill till ready to grill.
• Grill mushrooms over medium heat for 10 to 20 minutes, or until soft when pierced with knife. Serve hot and enjoy.

BOW TIES WITH PESTO, FETA AND CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Stir in the bow ties and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and run it under cold water just until it stops steaming. Bounce the pasta around to get rid of as much water as you can.
• Dump the pasta into a large serving bowl. Stir in the pesto until the pasta is coated. Toss in the cherry tomatoes and the crumbled feta. Taste the salad and season it as you like with salt and pepper. You can make the salad up to about 1 hour before you serve it. Check out the salt and pepper just before you serve the salad. If it's looking a little dry, add some olive oil and stir it around.
• Pesto:
• 5 big handfuls basil leaves (about 2 hefty bunches)
• 1/2 cup pine nuts or 3/4 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
• Juice of 1 small lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• Kosher salt
• About 20 grinds freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Place all ingredients with 1/2 cup of the oil in a blender and blend. Gradually drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup of oil until pesto is thick and smooth.
• Yield: about 1 1/2 cups