Best Baked Pesto And Sun Dried Tomato Appetizer Recipes

BAKED PESTO AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO APPETIZER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Unroll crescent dough; separate into four rectangles. Place two of the rectangles, side-by-side, on nonstick baking sheet. Firmly press seams and perforations together to seal. Reserve remaining dough for decorative garnish.
• Cut block of cream cheese horizontally in half. Spread pesto onto bottom half of cream cheese; cover with tomatoes. Top with remaining cream cheese to form sandwich. Place in center of dough. Bring up ends of dough around all sides of cream cheese to enclose completely; pinch ends of dough together to seal. Place, seam-side down, on baking sheet. Cut remaining crescent dough into small fun shapes, such as leaves or fruit. Arrange on top of dough.
• Bake 20 min. Serve warm with assorted crackers and fresh vegetables.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND PESTO TORTA

Steps:

• Finely chop garlic in processor. Add basil, 1/4 cup pine nuts, oil and lemon juice. Process until well blended. Add 1/3 cup cream cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Using on/off turns, process just until blended. Transfer pesto to medium bowl.
• Coarsely chop tomatoes in processor. Add tomato paste and process until mixture is almost smooth. Add 1/3 cup cream cheese and blend well.
• Using electric mixer, beat 2 cups cream cheese and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spray 6-cup soufflé dish with nonstick spray. Line with plastic wrap, extending plastic over sides. Spread 3/4 cup cream cheese-butter mixture evenly over bottom of prepared dish. Top with half of tomato mixture, then 1/2 cup cream cheese-butter mixture, then half of pesto mixture. Repeat layering with 1/2 cup cream cheese-butter mixture, remaining tomato mixture, 1/2 cup cream cheese-butter mixture and remaining pesto. Top with remaining cream cheese-butter mixture. Cover and chill overnight. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Invert torta onto platter. Peel off plastic. Garnish with basil sprigs and toasted pine nuts. Serve with baguette slices.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO

Steps:

• Place sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and cover with warm water for 5 minutes, or until tender.
• In a food processor or blender combine sun-dried tomatoes, basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts and onion; process until well blended. Add vinegar, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and red wine, and process. Stir in olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt to taste.

AIR FRYER BAKED BRIE WITH PESTO, SUNDRIED TOMATOES AND ARTICHOKE HEARTS

Steps:

• Preheat an air fryer to 350°F.
• Brush both sides of the sliced bread with the olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Transfer to the air fryer basket, shingling the slices so they all fit snuggly. Air fry until golden brown and toasted, flipping halfway through, about 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir together the artichokes, sundried tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of the pesto in a medium bowl until evenly combined. Set aside. Whisk the egg with a splash of water in a small bowl and set the egg wash aside.
• Dust a clean worksurface or cutting board lightly with flour. Roll out the puff pastry to a 14-by-12-inch rectangle. Cut 1/4-inch-wide strips of dough off the shorter end to create a 12-by-12-inch square, reserving the strips for decorating.
• Brush the center of the square of puff pastry lightly with the egg wash. Lay the reserved strips at an angle in a crisscross pattern in the center of the square of pastry, 4 going in one direction and 4 in the other. Press down gently to adhere. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the puff pastry, then use the parchment paper to help flip the whole thing over so the crisscross pattern is now facing down.
• Spoon the artichoke-sundried tomato mixture into the center of the dough, then top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of pesto and the wheel of brie. Fold the puff pastry up and over the brie, brushing the edges with a little egg wash and pinching to seal. Flip the puff pastry-wrapped brie over so the crisscross design is now on top. Brush the entire exterior of the pastry with the egg wash, then refrigerate until the pastry is chilled, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat an air fryer to 375°F. Place the brie in the center of the air fryer basket and air fry until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through, about 18 minutes.
• Let sit for 5 minutes, then serve warm with the toasted bread, crackers, sliced bell peppers and endive.

BAKED PESTO & SUN-DRIED TOMATO APPETIZER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Unroll crescent roll dough (I use Pillsbury); separate into 4 rectangles.
• Place 2 of the rectangles side by side, on a nonstick baking dish. Firmly press seams and perforations together to seal. Reserve remaining dough for decorative garnish.
• Cut the block of cream cheese horizontally. Place one half on the pastry. Spread with 2 tsp basil pesto and 2 tsp of finely chopped and drained oil packed sun dried tomatoes. Place the other half of the cream cheese on top to form a sandwich.
• Bring up sides of dough to encase the cream cheese completely and decorate with remainder of dough.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Enjoy!