Homemade feta cheese and cream cheese whipped together and topped with arugula for this Whipped Feta and Arugula Crostini, the perfect party appetizer!
Now, I have two words for you: Whipped. Feta. Say it with me... but feel free to add a "freakin" in between 'cause that's how I feel about this new hybrid love-child of our homemade feta and our homemade cream cheese. I am so in love, and as many love-childs happen, this Whipped Feta and Arugula Crostini was a happy mistake. Our feta was at the end of its life expectancy (although it still tasted wonderfully delicious to me), and we still had about 8 1/2 ounces of it left. And I'd just made a toonn of cream cheese for our homemade bagels, but really, how much cream cheese can a couple eat in a week? Even us, not as much as we made. So, I was looking for ways to use said cream cheese. Then I baked a few homemade baguettes for my studly husband's sandwiches this week which made me want crostini... which made me think, mmm feta on crostini... which made me think, but how can I make it nice and creamy and spreadable... and BAM! Whipped. Feta.
So I grabbed a part of a baguette, some baby arugula, lemon, salt, pepper, olive oil, and then our two cheeses.
This was only about 3 oz of the feta that I needed and about 3X the amount of cream cheese I needed.
I used the rest of the feta we had, which was 8 1/2 oz and tossed that in our food processor with only about 3 1/2 oz of cream cheese. I wanted it to be creamy, but still mostly feta with that amazing salty briney feta flavor.
All whipped up... yuuummm.
Then, just a slice of the baguette and a pre-heat of the oven to 350º.
And a brush of the baguette slices with a little bit of olive oil on each side and baked them for about 15 minutes, flipping them half way through for even toasting.
While they toasted I mixed the arugula with some olive oil, probably just a half a tablespoon worth for a good 3 oz of arugula,
and of course lemon juice to cut the bitter pepper arugula flavor,
and then a healthy pinch of salt with just a dash of fresh ground black pepper.
Then, once the crostini were toasted, I added one of my favorite touches of crostini. I sliced a little bit off of a garlic clove, and rubbed the clove on each of the baguette slices so they picked up the garlic flavor.
Then, with a spread of the whipped feta,
and a topping of some of the arugula, we had ourselves a lovely little Whipped Feta and Arugula Crostini! Super simple but super flavorful.
The crunchy baguette had a lovely hint of garlic and the creamy whipped feta was salty and the arugula had the perfect balance of pepper and acid.
So. Good.
The only thing I would have done differently would have been being much much more generous with the whipped feta. Look how creamy. Look how inviting this Whipped Feta and Arugula Crostini is! For the next batch I'm dreaming of caramelized onions... or roasted tomatoes... or figs... The topping choices are literally endless. Even better, it adds versatility to two of our homemade cheeses!
Equipment
Ingredients
Whipped Feta
- 8.5 oz of feta cheese
- 3.5 oz of cream cheese
Crostini
- Baguette slices
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove whole with 1/4 sliced off
- 3 oz of arugula
- 1/2 a lemon
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Add feta to a food processor and blend quickly to break it down. Then add the cream cheese and blend until creamy.
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour olive oil in small dish. Slice baguette and brush with olive oil on each side. Bake for 15 minutes, flipping slices halfway through.
- Mix arugula with remaining olive oil in dish, add the juice from half a lemon and mix. Add about a 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of salt to taste to arugula and a few grinds of a pepper mill. Mix well.
- When crostini are toasted, remove from oven and gently rub garlic on each slice of baguette. Vary garlic flavor by amount rubbed on crostini.
- Top crostini with a layer of whipped feta and then a few sprigs of arugula.
- Enjoy!
Love this!! I also love arugula (or rocket as we call it here), so this looks pretty perfect to me!
The simply bread and cheese is one of my favorite meals! I nominated you for a Sisterhood of the World of Bloggers Award! Check it out on my blog! Congrats!
Thanks, Lauren! 😀
Tracy, your recipe looks so delicious. Thank you for co-hosting this week Fiesta Friday 🙂
So elegant! 🙂
What a great idea blending the feta with cream cheese and love how you paired it with arugula, such a nutty flavoured green, what a great combo of flavours!
Thank you, Lily 🙂
Great idea Tracy - I have never used whipped feta before. Perfect for crostini 🙂
This is just too good!!! I found myself just drooling just reading your post and seeing the pictures! I already added Feta and Cream Cheese onto the shopping list! I love this!!!
Ohh yum. I'm probably going to have dreams about that whipped feta!
I love this, so simple. Whipping the feta is such a good idea, makes it spreadable and this is such a great combination.
Love it! Simple n elegant!
I am definitely down for some of this . . . . ingenious to have the cheese whipped, too, as it will not cause the crostini to fall all over your lap!!!
I didn't even think of that as one of the benefits of this whipped cheese! But you're so right! I hate it when all the delicious toppings fall off- this whipped feta just keeps getting better and better! 😉
you mean whipped freaking feta, right?
Whipped Feta?!?! Sign me up!
You got it! 😉
These look amazing - I'll have to give this a try over the festive season!
Thank you so much for co-hosting this week, it's such a fun event. Have a wonderful weekend!
Ginger
Thank you, Ginger!! 🙂
I've done this with ricotta before but never thought about feta!! Looks delicious 🙂
Thanks, Mel!
WHIPPED FREAKIN FETA!!!! This looks SO fancy but it really isn't hard to do, each picture is perfection here, by the way. I'm psyched to co-host again, I think Angie just feels bad that we never left after last Friday's party! 😉 I'll take it!
Hahaha yea! Thanks my B4! I've decided blogging buddy boo bestie is too much of a mouthful 😉