Easy-Peasy Appetizers

These appetizers look gorgeous and taste delicious, but take only minutes to make.  Enjoy at them at your next gathering.

Sweet and Savory Feta Cheese with Figs Mediterranean Appetizer 

This appetizer reminds one of warm summer breezes.  The ingredients are somewhat flexible, but the combination of flavors are not.

Five Ingredients

1. Feta Cheese : crumbled or from a brick
2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil: the one that you save for salads and drizzling. 
3. Figs: fresh figs when they are in season are awesome. If they are not, then use a fig compote or jam that you can purchase from your grocer.
4. Mint Leaves: Use fresh leaves only. If you don't have your own kitchen herbs growing, then you can find them in small packets in the produce section of your grocery store. If you can't get fresh leaves, then I would advise you to wait on making this recipe.  Not to worry---there are other easy-peasy recipes available.   
5. Ground Black Pepper: pepper, freshly ground is the best. 

Instructions in Five Easy-Peasy Steps 


First Step - Feta Cheese
Drain the feta cheese. It should be moist, but not wet. You shouldn't see any liquid when you place the feta  on your serving platter.


On a serving platter (oblong or rectangular are the best shapes), crumble the feta cheese or mound the feta cheese crumbles into an oblong shape. The mound should be no higher than an inch and a half tall and no more than four inches wide by nine inches long. You can make the mound proportionately smaller, but I think that this is as large as it should be made because the flavors will not be distributed evenly.


Second Step - Olive Oil
Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil all over the mound of feta.

Third Step - Figs
Wash and de-stem the figs and nip off their bases. Next cut them into quarters. If they are larger, cut them into bite size pieces. Then sprinkle on top of the feta. If you are using a fig compote or jam, then pour it over the feta covering most of it with a thin layer.

Fourth Step - Black Pepper
Grind a smidgen of black pepper lightly over the entire concoction. Add pepper to your taste or better yet, leave the grinder nearby for those who might prefer more of it.

Fifth Step - Olive Oil
Now ever so lightly, drizzle olive oil over the whole mound.

Last Step - Mint Leaves
Wash and pat dry about eight mint leaves for every half a pound of feta cheese used. Then ribbon the leaves (cut the leaves into thin bite size slivers no more than a quarter of an inch wide by a half an inch long). Sprinkle these ribboned mint leaves on top of the fig layer.  That's it. You and your masterpiece is done. Easy Peasey

Voila!    Enjoy this delicious combination of flavors with wedges of pita bread or  your favorite plain crackers. If you are doing the low-carb lifestyle, just spread it over a .

This can be made several hours ahead of time as long as you keep it covered. I'd add the mint leaves just before serving.

Welcome to Poesy Living!