Feta Pesto Recipes

BOW TIES WITH PESTO, FETA AND CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Stir in the bow ties and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and run it under cold water just until it stops steaming. Bounce the pasta around to get rid of as much water as you can.
• Dump the pasta into a large serving bowl. Stir in the pesto until the pasta is coated. Toss in the cherry tomatoes and the crumbled feta. Taste the salad and season it as you like with salt and pepper. You can make the salad up to about 1 hour before you serve it. Check out the salt and pepper just before you serve the salad. If it's looking a little dry, add some olive oil and stir it around.
• Pesto:
• 5 big handfuls basil leaves (about 2 hefty bunches)
• 1/2 cup pine nuts or 3/4 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
• Juice of 1 small lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• Kosher salt
• About 20 grinds freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Place all ingredients with 1/2 cup of the oil in a blender and blend. Gradually drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup of oil until pesto is thick and smooth.
• Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

PESTO PIZZA WITH FETA AND ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• For the dough: Mix the sugar and yeast in 1 1/2 cups warm water (100 to 110 degrees F).
• Let sit until foamy, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in the olive oil. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast mixture with the flour and salt and mix on low until smooth.
• Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium, adding a little more flour or water if needed, until the dough forms a loose, sticky ball around the hook. Increase the speed to medium-high and knead until the dough is soft, smooth and springy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Put the dough in a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• For the topping: Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic and 3 cups of the arugula. Process to make a chunky paste. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and process until smooth. Add the Parmesan and pulse just until incorporated. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
• In a medium skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
• When the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F with a baking stone on the bottom rack.
• Punch down the dough. Brush an 18-by-13-inch rimmed half-sheet pan liberally with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the pan and press it all the way into the corners (it helps to cover the dough with a sheet of plastic wrap while pressing so the dough doesn't stick to your fingers).
• Bake on the preheated stone until the dough has puffed and just begins to color, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the dough from the oven, loosen from the baking sheet with a metal spatula and brush lightly with olive oil. (The crust can be baked ahead to this point and topped and finished in the oven later, if desired.)
• Spread the pesto on the dough almost to the edges. Top with the mozzarella, feta, artichokes, cooked bacon and jalapeno slices.
• Bake on the top rack until the cheese is browned and crusty, about 8 minutes more.
• In a large bowl, toss the remaining 3 cups arugula with the remaining tablespoon olive oil and the jalapeno brine. Season with salt and pepper and scatter over the pizza. Cut into squares to serve.

HALIBUT STUFFED WITH KALE AND FETA PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Using the grapeseed oil, lightly grease a rectangular baking dish large enough to accommodate the fillets in a single layer.
• Place the halibut fillets in the prepared baking dish and season lightly with salt and pepper. Use a sharp knife to slash several deep cuts in the top of each fillet, being careful not to cut all the way through the fish.
• In a mini food processor, combine the scallions, kale, celery, and cheese and process until the ingredients are crumb-sized. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and pulse until a paste forms, adding more oil as needed to achieve a good consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
• Use a small spoon or your finger to stuff the pesto into the slits in each fillet, filling them with as much pesto as will fit and allowing it to overflow. Roast until the fish is opaque at the center when tested with the tip of a knife, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 3 minutes before serving.

TOMATO & FETA PESTO BITES

Steps:

• Roll out the pastry on a surface lightly dusted with the Parmesan to about the thickness of a ten-pence piece. Stamp out 12 rounds using a 6cm plain cutter and line a shallow 12-hole bun tin. Chill for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6.
• Prick each pastry base with a fork and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack. Meanwhile, tear the leaves from the parsley stalks and put all but 12 of the small sprigs in a food processor with the pine nuts, then whizz until coarsely chopped. Then add the feta, garlic and oil and whizz to make a thick paste. Keep the reserved sprigs in a bowl of water in the fridge. The pastry bases will keep in a tin for up to 2 days and the pesto will keep in the fridge overnight.
• To serve, dollop a spoonful of the feta pesto onto the tarts and top each one with two cherry tomato halves. Garnish with the reserved parsley sprigs. Arrange on a platter and hand round with a bowl of black olives and sparkling mint & lemon juleps.

TOMATO GALETTE WITH BASIL PESTO AND FETA

Steps:

• Place tomatoes on a double layer of paper towels; sprinkle with salt. Cover with additional paper towels. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together pesto and mayonnaise. Preheat oven to 375°. On a floured sheet of parchment, roll dough into a 12-in. circle. Transfer to a baking sheet or pizza stone., Spread pesto mixture over crust to within 2 in. of edge; top with ¼ cup feta. Arrange tomato slices over feta; arrange cherry tomatoes on top, cut sides up. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup feta, Italian seasoning and pepper. Fold crust edge over filling, pleating as you go and leaving center uncovered. In a small bowl, whisk egg and water; brush edge of crust with egg wash and sprinkle with Parmesan. , Bake until crust is golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before slicing. If desired, top with basil before serving.