Spicy Roasted Castelvetrano Olives with Feta

5 from 6 votes

Spicy Roasted Castelvetrano Olives with Feta

Spicy Roasted Castelvetrano Olives with Feta, garlic, lemon, and fresh oregano. The easiest, most impressive appetizer ready in just 25 minutes. Perfect for entertaining.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

2 cups Castelvetrano olives pitted and lightly crushed
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon juiced and zested
6 cloves garlic
1 shallot thinly sliced
4-5 sprigs fresh oregano
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
kosher salt to taste
10 ounces fresh feta (1 to 2 blocks), broken into large crumbles
Grilled bread for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°
In a medium baking dish, combine the olives, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, shallot, 3 sprigs of the oregano, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine and make sure everything is nestled snugly in the oil.
Roast for 20 minutes until the olives are warm and fragrant and the garlic is tender and lightly golden. Remove from the oven. Discard the charred oregano stems. Break the feta into the warm olive mixture in generous crumbles. Sprinkle the leaves from the remaining 2 fresh oregano sprigs over the top along with the reserved lemon zest.
Serve immediately, warm, with plenty of grilled or toasted bread for scooping up the olives and the flavorful oil.

Notes

Use Castelvetrano olives if you can find them. Their mild, buttery flavor and firm texture are especially good in this recipe and hold up beautifully when roasted.
Lightly crush the olives before roasting. You only want to split them slightly so the lemon, garlic, herbs, and olive oil can work their way into the olives.
Use a baking dish that holds everything fairly snugly. This keeps the olives, garlic, shallot, and oregano nestled together in the seasoned olive oil as they roast.
Remove the roasted oregano stems before serving. They flavor the olive oil in the oven; finish the dish with fresh oregano leaves for a brighter herbal flavor.
Add the feta after roasting. Breaking it into the warm olives lets it soften slightly while still keeping plenty of creamy pieces throughout the dish.
Finish with fresh lemon zest. Adding it just before serving gives the warm olives and feta a fresh, bright finish.
Serve with plenty of grilled bread. The seasoned olive oil is one of the best parts of the dish, so you'll want something on the table for scooping it up.

Nutrition (estimated)