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1/2 lb Cream cheese; softened
4 tb Butter; softened
3/4 c Basil pesto
1/2 lb Provolone, thinly sliced
1/4 c Toasted pine nuts
1 Red bell pepper; roasted,
– peeled, seeded, and — cut into 3″ x 3/8″ strips 1 sm Jar
sun-dried tomatoes
– (packed in olive oil) Fresh basil for garnish Mix cream
cheese and butter with a fork; add pesto and mix well.
Line a small
(3-cup) loaf pan or bowl with plastic wrap, leaving several inches
of overhang on each side.
Make a thin layer of provolone slices on
the bottom and partially up the sides.
Spread 1/3 of the pesto
mixture over the cheese; artistically arrange 2 or 3 sun-dried
tomatoes, 4-6 bell pepper strips, and about 1 tablespoon toasted
pine nuts over the pesto.
Repeat layers until all ingredients are
used (reserving some of the pine nuts to sprinkle on top), pressing
down well between layers.
Chill overnight or for several days.
Serve at room temperature on a platter wreathed with fresh basil
sprigs.
Additional toasted pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes cut into
flowers, red bell pepper strips, and fresh basil sprigs may be used
as garnish.
NOTE: Torta may be presented inverted or not.
Keeps
several weeks refrigerated.
Although best served at room
temperature, it slices best chilled.
I like to serve it on a
platter adorned with grape leaves and small clusters of red and
white grapes.
VARIATIONS:
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Use lemon pesto; substitute
slivered toasted almonds for the pine nuts; omit the sun-dried
tomatoes and add 1 teaspoon lemon zest to the cream cheese mixture.
Use purple pesto; omit the red pepper if desired and increase the
sun-dried tomatoes.
Use cinnamon basil pesto; omit the sun-dried
tomatoes and the red peppers if desired, and use pecans instead of
pine nuts.
Source: The Herb Garden Cookbook, by Lucinda Hutson
Typed for you by Karen Mintzias
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