Roasted Tomatoes with Whipped Feta
About this Recipe
By: Rachel
This Roasted Tomatoes with Whipped Feta recipe is one of my favorite summer recipes. It makes great use of the garden tomatoes that are plentiful by August, it couldn’t be simpler to make, and it tastes like a restaurant-quality dish.
There’s Feta, and Then There’s Feta
Like many Americans, I grew up eating the dry-packed, crumbled feta that was easily accessible in most grocery stores. It was not very flavorful or interesting, but when you have never tasted anything better, you cannot know that there is anything better.
Fast-forward to my twenties, when I was staying in a small French town in Normandy. The farmers’ market came to set up three days each week, with an extra-large market on Saturdays. In addition to fruits, vegetables, and fresh eggs, there was a cheesemonger with more kinds of cheese than I had ever seen. He had blue-veined Rocquefort; small wheels of Camembert and Brie; giant wheels of Raclette for melting over an open flame. There were wedges of Petit Basque, which I would later learn that you should eat on a baguette with fresh cherry jam.
He also had beautiful jars of white cheese floating in golden olive oil. “What is that one?” I asked the cheesemonger (who was also gorgeous, in a Greek god sort of way—and I definitely wanted to engage him in conversation).
The cheesemonger (whose name, I kid you not, was Marius—and right in the middle of my Les Misérables phase!), cracked open a jar, plucked out a generous chunk of feta, and handed it to me, olive oil running down his beautiful fingers.
Why Roasted Tomatoes With Whipped Feta Is So Decadent
French feta is a little milder than Greek feta, and creamier. You can use either kind in this roasted cherry tomatoes with whipped feta recipe, just use the best feta available. (Any feta handed to you straight from the jar by a cheesemonger is sure to be exceptional, just like the feta Marius sold).
The cherry tomatoes that top the whipped feta are roasted until candy-sweet with fresh herbs and garlic. To really make this dish unforgettable, use freshly-picked tomatoes from your garden, the garden of a generous neighbor, or head to your local farmers’ market during the late summer months.
Serving Suggestions for Roasted Tomatoes With Whipped Feta
I like to serve this dish with simple but elegant fare, like these Chicken Paillards in Wine Sauce. A perfectly-chilled Lemon, Lemon & Lemon French 75 is the ideal drink for this seasonal, French-inspired meal.
Beverage Pairing
By: Olivia
The beauty of roasted tomatoes is how the roasting brings out the tomato’s sugars and deep flavors. This, paired with the creamy whipped feta, means you can play with a lot of different wine pairings. You could drink a high-acid red wine that isn’t overly tannic like a Barbera, Zinfandel, or Southern Rhône blends from Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. For white wine, you’ll want something high-acid without oak, so you can grab a Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, or Albariño. If you really want to luxuriate, this summer stater could be enjoyed with a nice glass of Prosecco too.
Roasted Tomatoes With Whipped Feta
Equipment
- Kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons
- Measuring cups and spoons or kitchen scale
Ingredients
For the roasted tomatoes
- 2 cups (300g) cherry tomatoes
- 2 large cloves crushed garlic
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly-ground black pepper
For the whipped feta
- 8 ounces (225g) feta cheese in brine
- ⅓ cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoons good-quality olive oil plus more for drizzling
- Fresh herbs of your choice for garnish (I like mint or basil)
- Maldon salt
For serving
- Warm, crusty bread
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
- Preheat the oven to 300°F or 275°F convection (150°C or 135°C convection).
Step 2
- Line a large sheet pan with parchment, and distribute the tomatoes and garlic evenly over the top. Drizzle generously with olive oil, and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Roast for 1-½ hours, depending on the size of your tomatoes, or until the tomatoes are ready to burst. Remove from the oven, and set aside.
Step 3
- To a food processor, add the feta cheese, Greek yogurt, and 2 tablespoons olive oil, and process until smooth.
Step 4
- Spread over a serving platter, and top with roasted tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with Maldon salt, garnish with herbs, and serve with warm, crusty bread.
