Description
This recipe for Baked Feta, Tomatoes & Garlic combines sweet cherry tomatoes, fragrant garlic, and creamy feta cheese baked to perfection with aromatic herbs and a touch of heat from crushed red pepper. Served alongside honey-drizzled focaccia, this dish is a delightful balance of savory, spicy, and sweet flavors perfect for an appetizer or light meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Tomatoes & Cheese
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 3–4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano
- 2 tsp crushed red peppers (divided)
- 1 pinch of salt
- ⅓ cup high quality olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
- 1 tsp herbes de Provence
- 1 block feta cheese
Bread
- 1 focaccia loaf
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- Honey, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the tomatoes and feta.
- Prepare tomatoes: Carefully poke a hole in each cherry tomato using the end of a knife to prevent bursting during baking.
- Mix ingredients: In a baking dish, combine the tomatoes with thinly sliced garlic, fresh oregano, 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers, a pinch of salt, and ⅓ cup olive oil. Mix gently to coat everything evenly.
- Add feta: Place the block of feta cheese on top of the tomato mixture and drizzle additional olive oil over it.
- Bake feta and tomatoes: Bake the dish for 45-50 minutes, basting occasionally with the cooking juices to keep everything moist and flavorful.
- Prepare focaccia: On a separate baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place the focaccia loaf. Drizzle with olive oil and honey, then evenly sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper and 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence.
- Bake focaccia: When there are about 15 minutes left on the baked feta, add the focaccia bread to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until the bread is golden and fragrant.
- Finish and serve: Remove both the baked feta and focaccia from the oven. Drizzle the baked feta with a little more olive oil and honey to enhance the flavor. Slice the focaccia and use it to dip into the warm, flavorful baked feta and tomato mixture.
Notes
- Be careful not to overbake the feta to prevent it from drying out.
- Poking holes in the cherry tomatoes helps avoid sudden bursting and messy oven incidents.
- You can adjust the amount of crushed red pepper to control the dish’s spiciness.
- Serve immediately while warm for the best texture and flavor.
- Use high-quality olive oil for maximum flavor impact.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: baked feta, tomatoes, garlic, focaccia, Mediterranean appetizer, baked cheese, easy appetizer, herbes de Provence, spicy appetizer
