Page 260 - A Literary Holiday Cookbook

Makes 16 cheese bites

“First came ten soldiers carrying clubs . . . oblong and flat, with their hands and feet at the
corners: next the ten courtiers; these were ornamented all over with diamonds. . . After
these came the royal children; there were ten of them . . . they were all ornamented with
hearts. Next came the guests, mostly Kings and Queens.”

These cheesy, savory vegetable appetizers are easy to whip up for New Year’s Eve, a mad
tea party, or an unbirthday party.

INGREDIENTS

2 red peppers (6.6 oz. each)
1 (1.5-lb.) eggplant

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

1 (8-oz.) chunk feta cheese

1 (16-oz.) log fresh mozzarella cheese
8 sprigs fresh rosemary, 1½ inches long

8 sprigs fresh thyme, 1½ inches long

Special Tools

2” card suit cookie cutters (diamond, heart, spade, and club)

INSTRUCTIONS

1 Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut the top from one of the peppers and
discard. Cut out the seeded portion from the middle and discard. Cut

the pepper in half lengthwise and trim the sides so that each half

lays mostly flat. Turn the halves skin-side down on a cutting board
and use the cookie cutters to cut 4 diamonds from one pepper half

and 4 hearts from the other. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with the

remaining pepper.