In the summer, especially when I’m at the beach like these days, my desire to cook drops below zero. It’s hot, the air is still, the fridge is full but ideas are few, and any recipe that involves using the oven is automatically rejected.
So I often find myself looking for something fresh, quick, to prepare with what I have on hand and without even breaking a sweat.
That’s how these cucumber slices dressed with feta, tomatoes, green olives, and cracker crumbs came to be: a simple idea but perfect for summer.
They’re not real stuffed appetizers, nor elaborate recipes: just thick slices of cucumber, crunchy and light, dressed with a tasty and fresh mix. No cooking, a few minutes of preparation, and the result is a dish that’s nice to look at, delicious to eat, and also visually appealing if served well.
During these beach days, between a walk on the shoreline, a moment of relaxation, and a healthy swim, the only thing I want is something fresh that doesn’t require too much effort but still provides satisfaction. That’s why these little cucumber bites are ideal: they’re quick to make, served cold, keep well for an impromptu aperitif, and easily adapt to what you have available.
I’ve used feta because it adds character, tomatoes for sweetness, green olives for a salty touch, and cracker crumbs for a crunchy and tasty note.
But you can change everything: use cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, salted ricotta, or even some taggiasca or kalamata olives if you want something bolder.
A clever idea to make even on vacation when cooking is the last thing you want to do but you still don’t want to give up on a neat and tasty dish.
In short: I’m at the beach, it’s hot, but that doesn’t mean I’ll settle for two sad leaves of salad because I love and adore cooking and I like to try to enjoy not only with my stomach but also with my eyes.
With a few ingredients, even a simple cucumber slice can become a blog-worthy dish, to share and redo.
Small tip!
It’s better to prepare and serve these stuffed cucumber rounds right away, but you can keep the dressing (without crackers as they get soggy in seconds) in the fridge for 1 day. Add the crumbs later and assemble before serving.
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Always on the theme of QUICK APPETIZERS, here are a few more easy ideas just below:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very affordable
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2People
- Cooking methods: No cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber (large)
- 80 g feta
- 1 tomato (firm and ripe or 5/6 cherry tomatoes)
- 5 pitted olives (roughly chopped)
- 2 crackers (or crumbled taralli)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste basil
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
Tools
- Peeler
- Knives
- Bowls
I always prepare them this way and they are a hit!
Wash the cucumber and cut it into slices about 0.4 inches thick.
In a bowl, crumble the feta. Then add the tomatoes cut into small pieces and the chopped green olives.
Then add the crumbs of crackers broken with hands.
Season with EVO oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and mix well.
Arrange the cucumber slices on a serving dish and top each with a teaspoon of the mixture.
Decorate with a basil leaf and serve immediately.
These are simple yet incredibly fresh bites perfect for summer!
Bon appétit and happy cooking!
Annalisa
Tips
If you don’t like feta:
you can replace it with salted ricotta or goat cheese.
If you prefer a strong taste:
add a chopped anchovy to the mix.
If you are on a gluten-free diet:
use gluten-free crackers or rice snacks.
