Food
Baked Feta Is So Much More Than a Fad
Two words: Melted cheese.
Baked feta need not be limited to just cherry tomatoes and pasta, however. In A Cozy Kitchen’s recipe, she takes a similar approach with cherry tomatoes but also surrounds her block of feta with pitted green olives, quartered artichoke hearts, and lemon slices for a tangy flavor.
The TikTok baked feta fad is open to interpretation and if you think this would make a great dip, you’re right. Take Love & Lemons advice: Swap the fresh toms for tomato sauce, add in kale, chickpeas, and cumin seeds, then serve it with warm pita bread. Mmm.
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The key to getting the right flavor, according to A Cozy Kitchen and Häyrinen, is to give the feta extra char during the last minutes of cooking. This can be achieved by moving it to the top rack of the oven or giving it a broil for 10 minutes for the final flourish.
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Not a big feta fan? Psst. You don’t have to use feta — i am a food blogger says you can easily swap in another melty cheese such as baked brie, cream cheese, ricotta, or even vegan feta if you prefer.
If the appeal of the recipe lies in baking a block of feta guilt-free, you might also appreciate Half-Baked Harvest’s Pan-Fried feta with Peppery Honey. Tomatoes still play a starring role, but here the feta gets a honey glaze and is pan-fried for a delicious spread.
Garnishes can elevate a dish entirely, and the baked feta recipe is no exception. Take Jennifer Elizabeth’s Journal, for instance. In her recipe for baked feta, she adorns the hot cheese with a tablespoon of buttery pine nuts for an added level of texture and crunch.