It’s amazing how simple wooden skewers can transform a dinner standby into cocktail party fare! These look beautiful as part of a buffet spread but work equally well as a passed hors d’oeuvre since there’s no need for a plate. Best of all, they can be made well ahead of time; just wait to add the vinaigrette until right before serving. Elegant and simple.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　

Skewers

24 grape or small cherry tomatoes

　　3 ounces firm feta cheese (see Cook’s Note), cut into 12 (1/2-inch) cubes

　　12 pitted kalamata olives

　　1/2 small red or sweet onion, cut into 12 (1/2-inch) pieces

　　

Vinaigrette

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

　　2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

　　4 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Special Equipment

12 (6-inch) bamboo or wood skewers

　　

Step 1

For the skewers: Thread the skewers starting with a tomato, then a cube of feta cheese, an olive, a piece of onion, and finally another tomato. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and skewers.

　　

Step 2

For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and half of the oregano. Whisk in the olive oil until the mixture thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 3

Arrange the skewers on a serving platter. Spoon the vinaigrette over the skewers and sprinkle with the remaining oregano.

　　

Cook’s Note

Step 4

Buy feta packed in water; it is moist and easier to skewer, and it won’t crumble.

　　Giada at Home by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2010 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.