Baked Feta and Peperonata
Source: Katie Reicher, Greens Restaurant
Recipe Type: Entrees | Seasons: Summer
Peperonata is a great way to feature the many colors and flavors of summer peppers and tomatoes. It’s also a wonderful way to use up any older produce you may have, even if their skins are a bit wrinkly or soft. I love to top feta cheese with this lovely preserve and bake it, so that the feta becomes spreadable and soft. Serve with toasted crostini for a lovely appetizer, or toss with some al dente thin spaghetti for an elegant, yet easy, dinner.
This recipe was demonstrated at the Foodwise Classroom on July 8, 2023.
Serves 6-8
INGREDIENTS
1½ pounds sweet peppers, such as lipstick pimentos, jimmy nardelos, shishito, cubanelle, etc.
1-2 hot Italian peppers or jalapeno, optional
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin lengthwise
½ red onion, sliced thin
¼ cup good quality olive oil
½ pound early girl tomatoes (or other good sauce variety)
½ pound Sungold tomatoes (or other cherry variety)
1 sprig fresh oregano or basil
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon red wine vinegar
Salt, to taste
1 6-8 ounce block of feta cheese
¼ cup pitted Castelvetrano green olives, optional
Drizzle of honey
PREPARATION
Start by cleaning the peppers. Cut the peppers lengthwise and remove the stem and the seeds. Slice the peppers lengthwise into strips of various sizes. I like to cut thin-skinned peppers into large chunks, and thicker, meatier peppers into thinner strips. If you are using hot peppers, slice those into coins, and remove the seeds from the slices when you start to cut through the seed core. Set aside.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepot, add the sliced garlic, sliced red onion, and the olive oil. Heat the pot from cold over medium high heat and cook until the onions are translucent and starting to brown on the edges. Stir frequently to ensure that the onions and garlic are cooking evenly and not burning on the bottom. Then, add the peppers and cook for about 3-5 minutes, until slightly softened.
Lower the heat to medium and then add the early girls. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes get very soft, and the pulp turns into a thick, jammy sauce, about 20 minutes. Once the sauce starts to thicken, add the cherry tomatoes, oregano, pepper, balsamic, red wine vinegar, and season with salt to taste. Cook the peperonata for another 5-10 minutes, until the cherry tomatoes burst. Remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 400F. In a 9×13” baking dish, place the block of feta in the center. Spoon the peperonata into the baking dish around the feta cheese, then top with the green olives. Drizzle honey over the vegetables and feta cheese and then bake for about 20 minutes, or until the feta is warmed throughout.
