1 c Cream cheese — at room
Temperature
1 c Unsalted butter — at room
Temperature
1 c Parmesan cheese — freshly
Grated
1/2 c Sun-dried tomatoes,
Oil-packed — drained
(reserve oil
2 tb Oil — from dried tomatoes
2 c Fresh basil leaves —
Lightly packed
With an electric mixer or food processor, beat cream cheese, butter and
parmesan 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 arevery 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 to shape. 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.
Yields
8 Servings