Olive Crostini with Whipped Feta

Olive Crostini with Whipped Feta

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. good feta, crumbled
• 2 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 2/3 cup olive oil, divided
• 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 cup olive medley, rough chopped ½-inch
• 3 Tbsp. julienned fresh basil leaves, plus extra for serving
• 20 to 25 (½-inch-thick) diagonal baguette slices, toasted
• 2 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts

Directions:

1. Place the feta and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until the cheeses are mixed.
2. Add 1/3 cup of the olive oil, the lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper and process until smooth.
3. For the olives, up to an hour before you’re serving, combine the shallots, garlic, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes.
4. Whisk in the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the olives, stir gently, and set aside for 10 minutes. Stir in the basil and taste for seasonings.
5. To assemble the crostini, spread each slice of bread with a generous amount of whipped feta. With a slotted spoon, place the olives on top. Put the crostini on plates and scatter with the pine nuts.