Baked Feta with Roasted Peppers and Sourdough

Ingredients

• 400g block feta cheese
• 3 mixed Romano or pointed peppers, deseeded and cut into thick strips
• 300g cherry tomatoes on the vine
• 2 red chillies, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 100g baby spinach
• 1 lemon, juice only
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 sourdough loaf, thickly sliced, to serve
• fresh basil leaves, to serve
• 80g Kalamata olives, to serve
• extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle, to serve
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.
2. Scatter the pepper strips into a large roasting dish, drizzle with 3 tbsp of the olive oil, season well and roast for 15 minutes until they're beginning to soften and char at the edges.
3. Add the cherry tomatoes, sliced chilli and garlic to the dish, toss to combine and nestle the block of feta into the centre.
4. Drizzle the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil over the feta, scatter the dried oregano across the top and finish with the honey trickled over the cheese.
5. Return to the oven for a further 20 minutes, until the feta is golden at the edges, the tomatoes have burst and the peppers are tender and lightly caramelised.
6. While the bake is in its final 5 minutes, toast the sourdough slices in a griddle pan or under the grill for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and crisp with proper char marks.
7. Toss the baby spinach with the lemon juice and 1 tbsp olive oil in a bowl, season to taste and set aside.
8. Remove the bake from the oven and scatter the dressed spinach around the feta in the dish, letting the leaves wilt slightly against the hot peppers.
9. Finish with torn basil leaves, the Kalamata olives, a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon over the top.
10. Serve straight from the dish with the toasted sourdough and lemon wedges alongside for scooping.