Best Layered Cheese And Pesto Recipes

DIP FOR THE STARS

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the butter, feta cheese, cream cheese, garlic, shallot, vermouth, and white pepper. Process until smooth.
• Oil a medium bowl, or gelatin mold, and line with plastic wrap for easy removal. Layer the dip into the mold as follows: Sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, pesto, cheese mixture. Repeat. Pat down into the mold, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
• Turn the dip out onto a serving plate, and remove plastic wrap. Serve with crackers.

ITALIAN LAYERED DIP

Steps:

• Let cream cheese and goat cheese soften at room temperature. Mix cheeses together with minced garlic. Line a casserole dish with plastic wrap. Put 1/3 of the cheese mixture in the dish, spreading it evenly to the sides. Next, layer ingredients in the following order: the sun-dried tomatoes, 1/3 cheese mixture, pesto, and remaining cheese in the same manner. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
• To serve, turn upside down on a platter. Serve with crackers.

PROVOLONE AND PESTO CHEESE TORTE

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch-square pan with plastic wrap, extending the ends of the wrap over the edges of the pan.
• Line the pan with the provolone cheese (reserve a few slices for another layer of the torte), overlapping the slices a bit and pressing the edges together slightly. The cheese should extend over the edges of the pan enough that it can help encase the finished torte layers.
• Using a food processor, mix together the cram cheese, butter and garlic. Spread the ingredients in layers in the following order: one-third of the mixture, one-half of the pesto, a layer of provolone, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, one-third of the mixture, the remaining pesto, and the remaining mixture.
• Fold the sides of the cheese over the mixture to encase it, using another slice in the middle, if needed. Fold the edges of plastic wrap over the finished cheese torte, covering tightly. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
• To serve, invert the mold onto a cutting board, remove the plastic wrap and cut the torte diagonally into halves or fourths. Serve with crackers or baguette slices.
• Red and green grapes make a good accompaniment.