Ina Garten Shared Her Recipe for Tomato Crostini, and We’re in Love with This Appetizer

Ina Garten has been on a roll this summer. I mean, we adore her summer garden pasta. And her colorful Caprese salad. And her refreshing watermelon mojitos! Now, as most people prepare for pumpkin spice season, the Barefoot Contessa still has some glorious summer recipes up her sleeve.

The Appetizer That’s ‘Perfect’ for Summer

The appetizer that Ina gushes is “so perfect and totally summer” is her tomato crostini! The appetizer is one of the Barefoot Contessa’s self-proclaimed favorites. It features a creamy whipped feta along with fresh heirloom tomatoes on crispy toast. It’s super tasty and super summer, all in one delectable bite.

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This looks even better than another fabulous Ina Garten appetizer: her fig and cheese toasts!

How to Make Ina Garten’s Tomato Crostini

This recipe comes from Ina’s cookbook, Barefoot Contessa Foolproof. This simple appetizer serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients

• 6 ounces feta, crumbled
• 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 2/3 cup olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 pounds ripe heirloom or cherry tomatoes, 1/2-inch-diced
• 3 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves, plus extra for serving
• 20 to 25 (1/2 inch thick) diagonal baguette slices, toasted
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Directions

Step 1: Prep the tomato mixture

Start this recipe up to an hour prior to serving. To do this, simply combine shallots, garlic and vinegar into a medium bowl. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.

Then whisk in 1/3 cup of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss your tomatoes in and stir gently. Let the mixture stand for another 10 minutes before you add the basil. Your tomatoes are good to go!

Step 2: Whip the feta

Add feta and cream cheese to a food processor bowl and pulse until things come together. From there, add 1/3 cup of olive oil, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until your feta cheese is nice and smooth.

Step 3: Assemble the crostini

Now that your two essentials are completed—the tomatoes and feta—put it all together on the crostini. Spread that whipped feta—feel free to be generous with it—onto each slice of bread. Then, gently place a spoonful of tomatoes on top.

Step 4: Garnish and serve

To serve tomato crostini like Ina, place them on plates and drizzle with pine nuts and basil. It’s bound to be a hit!

Once again, we have Ina to thank for another culinary delight. Before you host friends to enjoy this app, check out Ina’s top tips for entertaining.