DRIED TOMATO TORTA

[Guest guest]

DRIED TOMATO TORTA

 

Appetizer servings:

 

8-10Ingredients:

 

1 cup cream cheese (1/2 lb)

 

1 cup unsalted butter (1/2 lb), at room temperature

 

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (5 oz)

 

1/2 cup dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained (reserve oil)

 

2 Tbsp oil from dried tomatoes

 

about 2 cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed

 

With an electric mixer or food processor, beat cream cheese,

 

butter andparmesan cheese until very smoothly blended. Cut 4

tomatoes

 

into thin strips; set aside. Whirl remaining tomatoes, oil and about

 

1/2 cup of the cheese mixture until tomatoes are very smoothly

pureed;

 

scrape puree back into bowl with cheese mixture and beat to blend.

 

Cover bowl and chill for about 20 minutes, or until firm enough

toshape.

 

Mound cheese on a platter. If made ahead, cover with and

 

inverted bowl (don't let it touch the cheese) and chill up to 3 days;

 

serve at room temperature. Arrange reserved tomato strips and basil

 

leaves around torta. Sunset suggests spreading cheese on toast (they

 

recommend toasted pita bread triangles) and topping with a basil leaf

 

and a tomato strip. Makes 8 to 10 appetizer servings.

 

Mary-Anne, List Owner

TomatoMania (AT) Groups (DOT) com

moderator

HeirloomGardening (AT) Groups (DOT) com

USDA Zone 9b, Sunset Zone 14