Mezze Platter with Whipped Feta Bruschetta & Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Serves six / Preparation time 5 minutes / Cooking time 25 minutes

Download the recipe
Ingredients
For the whipped feta bruschetta
  • 250g Cherry tomatoes
  • Two tbsp olive oil
  • 300g Feta
  • 230g Cream cheese
  • Half cup milk
  • Two garlic cloves
  • Ciabatta, sliced into 1cm pieces & toasted
For the bacon wrapped asparagus
  • Twelve asparagus spears, blanched
  • Twelve streaky bacon pieces
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • One tub ready-made hummus
  • 150g Olives
  • Pomegranate arils (or other fresh seasonal fruit such as figs)
  • Pepper to taste
Method

This is a simple, no-fuss recipe that oozes visual appeal with minimal effort; it is light and can also be substituted as a main meal.

  1. Start by tossing the cherry tomatoes in the olive oil and pop into a preheated oven of 200°C for 10 minutes or until soft and blistered.
  2. Next, make the whipped feta bruschetta: crumble the feta into the jug of a blender and add the cream cheese (you can also use a stick blender) and blend until smooth. If the mixture struggles to blend, add a little bit of the milk at a time to resemble a smooth spread.
  3. Rub the toasted ciabatta slices with the cloves of garlic and top with the feta and a few tomatoes. Set aside.
  4. Make the asparagus by wrapping a piece of bacon around each spear. Heat a pan until very hot and sear the asparagus, so that the bacon becomes crispy. Season with salt and black pepper.
  5. To assemble: smear the hummus onto the dish of your choice, loosely following the shape of the platter. Arrange the asparagus – leaving some whole and some halved – and the bruschetta on the left-hand side of the hummus smear. Add the olives and pomegranate arils to the blank spaces. Finish with some of the juices left from the roasted tomatoes and a glug of olive oil.