Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Torte
A delicious cream cheese-based appetizer with pesto and sundried tomato layers. this sun dried tomato pesto torte has beautiful red and green layers - perfect for Christmas! Make this the night before and just unwrap and serve!
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 295Kcal
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese Do not use low fat cream cheese.
- 1 cup butter softened to room temperature
- 8 oz sun dried tomatoes in oil use paper towel to remove oil and chop finely
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese finely shredded or grated
- 4 oz pesto
Instructions
- Add an 8 oz block of cream cheese and 1 cup of butter, softened into a bowl. Use a hand mixer to mix.
- Use a small bowl (about 2 cups) and line with plastic wrap. Make sure you have enough plastic wrap so that you can wrap the top of your pesto torte when done assembling.
- Add a little less than ⅓ of the cream cheese mixture and pat it down on the bottom of the small bowl. I usually use a baggie sprayed with Pam so I can flatten the cream cheese mixture without it sticking to me.
- Then add about 4 oz of chopped sun-dried tomatoes (the jar kind, in oil). I usually 'dry' the sun-dried tomatoes with some paper towel so the oil doesn't run onto my cream cheese mixture. Spread the sun-dried tomatos, making sure you spread close to edges.
- Mix shredded or finely grated parmesan cheese with of pesto.
- Spread ½ of the pesto mixture as a layer onto the cream chease mixture, making sure it is well spread to the edges.
- Do a second layer of cream cheese (reserving enough to do one more larger layer). Do second and final layer of chopped sun-dried tomoatos, and the pesto mix layer.
- The finishing layer is the cream cheese mixture. Take a good look at the picture to see roughly how the layers are placed.
- Cover up with the cling wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to serve, remove wrap and flip onto pretty serving dish. Top with a bit of pesto and sundried tomatos, if desired.
- Serve with sturdy crackers or sliced pieces of baguette. I usually have a small cheese knife to help serve this.
Notes
This appetizer stores well in the refrigerator. Ensure it is well wrapped.
It also stores well in the freezer. I usually freeze in the container I use to form it and keep it in the freezer for a maximum of 3 months.
It also stores well in the freezer. I usually freeze in the container I use to form it and keep it in the freezer for a maximum of 3 months.
Nutrition (I am not a nutritionist. These are estimates only)
Serving: 1g | Calories: 295Kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 386mg | Potassium: 329mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1193IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 1mg