- 6 ounces good feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ⅔ cup good olive oil, divided
- 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. pine nuts
- 2 Tbsp. minced shallots (2 shallots)
- 2 tsp. minced garlic (2 cloves)
- 2 Tbsp. good red wine vinegar
- 2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes, ½”-diced
- 3 Tbsp. julienned fresh basil leaves, plus extra for serving
- 20 to 25 (½”-thick) diagonal baguette slices, toasted
Total time: 30 minutes
Place feta and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until cheeses are mixed. Add ⅓ cup olive oil, lemon juice, ½ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper and process until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Place pine nuts in a dry sauté pan over low heat and cook 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned. Set aside.
For the tomato topping, up to an hour before serving, combine shallots, garlic, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Set aside 5 minutes to allow shallots to absorb vinegar. Whisk in remaining ⅓ cup olive oil, 1 tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper. Add tomatoes, stir gently, and set aside 10 minutes. Stir in basil and taste for seasoning.
To assemble crostini, spread each baguette slice with a generous amount of whipped feta. With a slotted spoon, place tomatoes on top. Put crostini on plates and scatter with the reserved toasted pine nuts. Sprinkle with basil and serve.
