Mediterranean Slow-Baked Appetizer with Feta, Colorful Peppers, Olives & Garlic
Dec 07, 2022
A wonderful and easy appetizer for the holidays all will enjoy! Spread on toasted bread and soak up all the amazing flavors.
Cooks slowly in the oven until the peppers actually melt into the olive oil. Serve with toasted pita triangles or toasted baguette slices.
Mediterranean Cuisine has bright, fresh flavors ~ mostly plant food and minimally processed staples where herbs and spices are essential ingredients. Warming spices provide vibrant flavor, yet usually not a very spicy addition. Decades of research praise the Mediterranean diet!
Cut up multi-colored peppers – add sliced garlic & olives, diced poblano peppers and throw in fresh herb sprigs. Toss all with extra virgin olive oil – that was easy!
Add cubed feta in the center, top with oregano and cover, and bake in a slow oven for 1 1/2 hours. Nothing else to do!
Need a Traditional Clay Terracotta Pottery Baking Dish? Try this one! Perfect for this recipe… and useful all year around.
Serving Suggestions and Thoughts:
- Can serve too right from the baking dish (have a presentable one? with bread on the side) If too warm, add a folded kitchen towel underneath
- Yes – you can make a few days in advance, cover tightly, place in the refrigerator
- Toast the bread you like – Top Pita Bread triangles, Baguette slices or Sourdough bread
- I’m using Greek Feta Cheese…a dairy product native to the Mediterranean region.
- I love poblano peppers for their mild heat and kick – you can also use jalapeño pepper or dried chili flakes
- Slow-cooking method works best, just set to 1 1/2 hours – peppers will be soft & luscious!
Enjoy this Mediterranean Appetizer – will be a big hit!
Karen
See all my Holiday Appetizers! Holiday Nibbles & Hors d’oeuvres
Mediterranean Slow-Baked Appetizer with Feta, Colorful Peppers, Olives & Garlic
A wonderful and easy appetizer for the holidays all will enjoy! Spread on toasted bread and soak up all the amazing flavors. Cooks slowly in the oven until the peppers actually melt into the olive oil. Serve with toasted pita triangles or toasted baguette slices.
Equipment
- 1 9" x 13" baking pan
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Greek feta cheese, cut 1/2"cubes
- 10 ounces mini mixed colored peppers, about 3 cups; large dice
- 3 medium garlic cloves, peeled and sliced (not too thinly)
- 1/4 cup Mediterranean olives, pitted, sliced
- 2 tablespoons poblano pepper*, blackened, skin removed; large dice
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil , Mediterranean, fruity variety
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, to sprinkle over veggies
- 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano, to sprinkle over feta
- 4 whole mini pita breads, to be sliced and toasted
- 2 sprigs EACH: fresh rosemary, oregano and thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.Add the feta cubes to the center of a 9" x 13" heavy (non-reactive) baking pan, pile lightly. Add peppers around the pan, top them with the garlic, olives, and poblano peppers (can use jalapeño or chili flakes for mild heat.)
- Drizzle all over the feta and vegetables with olive oil. Add black pepper and salt over the vegetables; the oregano over the feta.
- Tuck fresh herb sprigs into the vegetables. Cover with heavy foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours until peppers are very softened and perfumed with the herbs.
To Serve:
- Place the baking pan on a larger platter (add a folded kitchen towel underneath if hot.) Add toasted pita bread triangles and toasted baguette slices around. Add some serving knives and spoons ~ let your guests top their bread with the warm creamy goat cheese, vegetables and drizzle some olive oil.
Another Serving Idea:
- Make individual Crostinis: To each pita or baguette toasted slice - top with feta cheese cubes, then with a potion of pepper/garlic/olive/poblano mixture and drizzle the flavorful olive oil from the pan on top. Garnish with a fresh herb sprig of your choice.
Notes
*Poblano Pepper - a fragrant and mild to medium-spicy chili pepper with a wonderful flavor and kick.
Blacken over a gas flame, place in a paper bag, crimp and rest 15 minutes. Remove blackened skin under running water, remove seeds and chop 1/2 pieces. Save remainder for a salsa or another recipe. USE any fresh chili peppers you like, at any heat level. This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Blacken over a gas flame, place in a paper bag, crimp and rest 15 minutes. Remove blackened skin under running water, remove seeds and chop 1/2 pieces. Save remainder for a salsa or another recipe. USE any fresh chili peppers you like, at any heat level. This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutrition
Calories: 93kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 233mgPotassium: 52mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 628IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 74mgIron: 0.2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @azestforlife or tag #azestforlife!
