Marinated Olives and Feta

I love when one of those dishes comes across your screen and you know you were meant to make it that night! I had a girlfriends’ night in planned already and we ALWAYS pick up Castelventrano olives! (Seriously though, if you haven’t had them, they are the best olives on the planet. Easiest to find at the Whole Foods Olive bar.) So when I had all the other ingredients, and knew I was getting the olives in an few hours, we agreed this was going to happen.

Lisa picked up a Par-Baked bread from Pasta and Provisions, and of course, a bottle of crispy, dry white wine. Perfect app for the girls!

Ingredients:
4 ounces unpitted Castelventrano olives (or other green olives, but these are my favorites)
3 garlic cloves
1 lemon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 ounces fetta, crumbled
bread for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Drain 4 oz. olives and place on a cutting board. Lightly smash with the heel of your hand just to break apart skin and flatten slightly.

Smash 3 garlic cloves and peel.

Remove peel from 1 lemon in long wide strips.

Cook lemon peel, olives, garlic, ½ cup oil, and ½ tsp. red pepper in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, swirling occasionally, until garlic is sizzling and golden around the edges, 5–7 minutes.