This creation is heavily inspired by one of my favourite signature bakes in the Bake Off tent,” says Crystelle Pereira, who was a runner-up on the show in 2021.
“I had made a focaccia during Bread Week, with roasted grapes, sharp, salty feta, crunchy walnuts and fresh fennel.
“It went down a treat, and so I’ve transferred all of the same flavours and textures into crispy crostini – little bites of sweet and salty deliciousness.”
Roasted grape, honey and feta crostini
Ingredients:
For the infused oil:
50ml olive oil
2 garlic cloves, grated
½ tablespoon dried thyme
For the crostini:
240g black seedless grapes (about 24 grapes)
200g feta
10 walnuts, skin on
1 small baguette
1½ tablespoons runny honey
¼ fresh fennel bulb, thinly sliced (optional)
A bunch of fresh thymea pinch of fine sea salt and ground black pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan/400F/gas mark 6.
2. First make the infused oil. Place the olive oil in a small saucepan with the garlic and thyme and heat very gently over a low heat for about 10 minutes, until the oil is sizzling and fragrant. Turn off the heat and set aside.
3. Arrange the grapes in a roasting tray and spoon over 3 teaspoons of the infused oil. Toss the grapes until they are coated, then place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, until they are sizzling and the skins have shrivelled slightly. Allow to cool, then slice each grape in half lengthways.
4. Place the feta in a food processor with a splash of feta water (or a splash of milk if your feta does not have water), a good pinch of pepper and a tiny pinch of salt and blend until completely smooth.
5. Place the walnuts in a dry frying pan over a medium heat and toast for around 7 minutes until slightly browned and fragrant. Allow to cool slightly, then break into small pieces and set aside.
6. Slice the baguette diagonally into thin crostini slices (about 1.5cm thick) and drizzle a teaspoon of the infused oil over each slice. Place these on a tray and toast in the oven for 7–10 minutes until crispy and golden, or alternatively cook on a griddle pan over a high heat for 4 minutes, flipping halfway through.
7. To assemble, spread 1 heaped teaspoon of whipped feta over each crostini and drizzle with honey. Top with about 4 grape halves and a scatter of fennel, crushed walnuts and fresh thyme leaves, and serve straight away.
Recipe from ‘Flavour Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes with Creative Twists’ by Crystelle Pereira (Kyle Books, £22).
