Baked Goat Cheese (or Feta Cheese) with Tomato Sauce
 
 
This combination of tangy tomato sauce and creamy goat cheese (or feta cheese), scooped up with warm slices of crusty bread, is as satisfying as pizza and feels like a warm, cozy hug on a cold night. It can feed 4 people as an appetizer (or perhaps a few more people as part of a larger appetizer/small plates spread), or 2 to 4 people as a light meal with a green salad. This recipe also doubles easily to feed a larger crowd: Use a 28-ounce can of tomatoes and double the remaining ingredients. Bake in one large baking dish (you will likely need to increase the baking time) or divide among smaller oven-safe baking dishes or ramekins.

Since there are so few ingredients in this dish and the tomatoes and cheese are the stars, Sonja and Alex recommend seeking out the best-quality canned tomatoes (and cheese) you can find, and I concur! Muir Glen Organic is my favorite brand of canned tomatoes, and their fire-roasted tomatoes add an extra layer of flavor to this dish. You can find them at most grocery stores (and even at Target) these days.

I made a few minor modifications to this recipe based on what I had on hand and my family’s preferences; I’ve noted them below in brackets [ ].

VEGETARIAN, GLUTEN-FREE *
Author:
Serves: 2 to 4
Ingredients
  • -- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
  • -- ½ cup chopped white onion [I omitted this.]
  • -- 2 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
  • -- ½ tablespoon red pepper flakes (or less to taste) [I added just a small pinch, about ⅛ teaspoon.]
  • -- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil or ¼ teaspoon dried
  • -- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • -- ½ tablespoon white wine vinegar [I omitted this, as the tomatoes and feta cheese I used provided enough acidity for our tastes.]
  • -- 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes, San Marzano or fire-roasted, if possible
  • -- ½ teaspoon kosher salt [or to taste]
  • -- Freshly ground black pepper
  • -- 4 ounces soft goat cheese [I used feta cheese for 3 of the 4 servings, because my boys do not like goat cheese.]
  • -- Baguette or crusty bread, for serving *
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. In a saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes, then add the garlic, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon fresh basil (or ¼ teaspoon dried), and oregano, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the white wine vinegar and stir for 1 minute, then carefully add the tomatoes, kosher salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Reduce the heat, cover, and allow to simmer, lightly bubbling, for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
  3. Spoon the tomato sauce into shallow oven-safe baking dishes or ramekins [I used 4 small ramekins so we’d each have our own serving], then add dollops of goat cheese [I sliced the feta cheese into smaller chunks, then added it to the baking dishes]. Bake until the cheese is warmed through, about 15 minutes. If desired, broil for a minute or two to brown the top of the cheese [I did not broil]. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then top with the remaining 1 teaspoon of fresh basil (optional) and a light drizzle of olive oil. Serve warm with crusty bread.
Notes
* GLUTEN-FREE: This recipe is gluten-free as written. If you are feeding gluten-sensitive or gluten-intolerant friends or family, just be sure to serve it with gluten-free bread.


Recipe excerpted from A Couple Cooks | Pretty Simple Cooking: 100 Delicious Vegetarian Recipes to Make You Fall in Love with Real Food by Sonja Overhiser and Alex Overhiser. Copyright © 2018. Available from Da Capo Lifelong Books, an imprint of Perseus Books, LLC, a subsidiary of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
Recipe by Wholesome Family Kitchen at https://www.wholesomefamilykitchen.com/recipe-baked-goat-cheese-with-tomato-sauce-pretty-simple-dinner-party/