There’s something festive about bringing a whole roast feta to the table, and even more so when it’s thickly covered in toasted pine nuts. Tenderstem broccoli is a real treat in this dish, and my top tip is to blanch the spears in boiling water before you roast them – it really improves their texture. Crunchy, lemon-dressed radishes and spring onions add freshness, making this a lovely dish for a meze with friends.
Pine-nut crusted feta, roasted broccoli and radish salad
If you want to get ahead, keep the pine-nut topped feta and broccoli in a roasting tin in the fridge, ready to roast, with the radishes and spring onions in a bowl of water, and the dressing in another bowl. Cook the feta 25 minutes before you want to eat, and put together the salad at the last minute.
Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 4 as a side
200g Tenderstem broccoli
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated
Flaky sea salt
200g feta
30g pine nuts
5 radishes, topped and finely sliced
2 spring onions, trimmed and very finely sliced
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ lemon, juiced
Focaccia, to serve
Pop the broccoli in a bowl, pour over just-boiled water to cover and leave to blanch for two minutes. Drain well and pat dry.
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Tip the blanched broccoli, olive oil, garlic and a half-teaspoon of salt into a medium-sized roasting tin, and mix well. Push the veg to the sides and place the feta in the centre of the tray. Carefully pat the pine nuts all over the top of the feta, then roast for 20-25 minutes, until the pine nuts are a deep golden brown and the broccoli spears have charred nicely at the edges.
Meanwhile, put the sliced radishes and spring onions in a bowl of cold water to crisp up. Just before the feta is ready, drain them well and put in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice and a half-teaspoon of salt until emulsified, then stir the dressing through the radishes and spring onions. Spoon the salad over the broccoli and serve immediately with focaccia.
