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Title: Basil Cheese Torta with Red Bell Pepper Strips & Pine Nut
Categories: Appetizer
Yield: 1 Servings
| HERB GARDEN COOKBOOK; HUTSON | ||
| 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 | |
| 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: 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.
Sylvia's comments: I don't know who they were trying to kid about using a 3-cup bowl. I used a 6-cup bowl and almost ran out of room. Likewise, if you used 1/3 of the pesto mixture on the first layer, you'd have about half the provolone slices left over. I used about 1/2" of pesto on each layer and still had to make the Provolone 2-slices-thick on each layer. The recipe didn't say, but I laid provolone across the top, folded the side-slices over the top, then laid another couple of slices across the top over the folded-over slices to make it easier to invert. Another missing element is how do you eat it? I cut it into 8 wedges when cold, then let 1 wedge at a time come to room temp and cut chunks to put on crackers. Yummm!
Nutritional Information per serving: xx calories, xx gm protein, xx gm carbohydrate, xx gm fat, x% Calories from fat, x mg chol, xx mg sodium, x g dietary fiber
Posted 09-24-93 by KAREN MINTZIAS on F-Inter Co
From the recipe files of Sylvia Steiger, GEnie THE.STEIGERS, CI$ 71511,2253, Internet sylvia.steiger@lunatic.com, moderator of GT Cookbook and PlanoNet Lowfat & Luscious echoes
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