Jane's Favorite Tested Recipes
06/10/2007
Last Update
topics & recipes on just this site using Google
 | |
| |
|
Chicken |
|
Soup, Salad & Breads |
|
Vegetables & Spreads |
| |
| |
|
Miscellaneous Sandwiches & Appetizers |
|
Low Carbohydrate Recipes |
|
Jane's Favorite Tested Recipes
You are welcome to pass along a link to this site for your friends and family at:
www.braceface.com/tobejane
Please E-mail comments or questions for Jane
tobejane@earthlink.net
If you are new to the site and wish to be placed on my 'What's New' update list, just E-mail me and I'll put you on the list.
Jane Echols
Ft. Myers, Florida
Cheese Torta with Winter Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Pesto:
| 4 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry |
| ½ cup chopped fresh parsley |
| 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese |
| ¼ cup pine nuts |
| 2 cloves garlic |
| 1 ½ tsp. dried basil, crumbled |
| ½ tsp. fennel seed |
| ½ tsp. salt |
| ¼ tsp. pepper |
| 1- 10 ½ oz jar oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained (1/3 cup oil reserved) |
| 2- 8 oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature |
| 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature |
| 1 fresh parsley sprig |
| Crackers, breadsticks and thin baguette slices |
For pesto:
Combine spinach, chopped parsley, parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, basil, fennel, salt and pepper in blender or processor. Mix until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides. With machine running, add reserved oil from sun-dried tomatoes (reserve tomatoes) in slow stream and continue mixing until very smooth.
Cut two 20" squares of cheese cloth. Dip into water and squeeze dry. Place one square on top of the other, then transfer to 5-6 cup charlotte mold or loaf pan, lining mold and allowing cheesecloth to drape over sides. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until well blended. Set cheese mixture aside.
Set aside two whole sun-dried tomatoes. Finely chop remaining tomatoes in blender or processor using on/off turns. Arrange 2 whole tomatoes and parsley sprig in bottom of prepared mold (as garnish for the top of the torta). Using rubber spatula, spread 2/3 cup cheese mixture over tomatoes, creating smooth layer. Top with layer of 1/3 cup pesto, then another layer of 2/3 cup cheese mixture. Spread with half the sun-dried tomatoes. Repeat layering, ending with cheese mixture. Fold edges of cheesecloth over top of torta. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Unwrap top of torta. Invert onto platter. Remove cheese cloth. Serve at cool room temperature with crackers, breadsticks and baguette slices.
Serves 20.
Note: This is my daughter’s recipe and is a hit whenever she fixes it. It is very pretty, very good, and it can be made ahead and frozen. She sometimes makes it in three small loaf pans and freezes them so she’ll have one when she wants it!