This baked feta dip is the perfect summer appetiser! This simple dip has creamy feta, burst cherry tomatoes, olives, and basil. This recipe serves 4.
– 1 block (5 to 8 ounces) feta cheese* – 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled but left whole – 1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoe – ⅓ cup Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise and pitted (optional) – 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil – Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, for heat) – Freshly ground black pepper, to taste – Salt, to taste – 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil – For serving: Crostini or baked pita wedges or cracker
Prepare the oven with a rack in the upper third at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Put feta in the centre of a 2-quart baking dish. Put garlic, tomatoes, and optional olives around the feta in order.
Then pour olive oil over the mixture. If using, add red pepper flakes and several pepper twists. After baking for 20 minutes on the upper third, transfer to a heat-safe surface.
Gently stir the tomatoes around the feta and return the garlic cloves to the dish. Return to the oven and bake for 10–15 minutes until the tomatoes are juicy and shrivelling and the feta is nearly golden.
Remove the dish from oven. Use a fork to carefully smash each of the four garlic cloves against the pan. Gently stir the feta and tomatoes to distribute the ingredients.
Add a pinch of salt if you like (I like the dish pretty salty when it's made with olives, but you might want a little more if you don't have them).
Sprinkle fresh basil everywhere. Warm and serve with crostini or pita wedges. Covered and refrigerated leftovers last 4 days. Reheat gently before serving.