Red Pepper Cream cheese spread with Pesto
Use a variety of party breads, crackers or pita chips for this.
3 packages (reduced fat cream cheese 8 ounces each) Neufchatel, at room temperature
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained
2 tsp. cornstarch
½ cup scallions, finely chopped
Garnish:
Fresh basil leaves.
Cherry tomatoes
• Beat softened cream cheese in large bowl until light and fluffy.
• Divide into thirds.
• For pesto, combine the basil, pine nuts and garlic in a food processor.
• Whirl until finely chopped.
• Stir the basil mixture into a third of the cream cheese along with Parmesan cheese until well blended.
• Place the red peppers in a clean food processor bowl.
• Whirl until pureed.
• Transfer to a small skillet.
• Whisk in the cornstarch until it is blended and smooth.
• Bring to simmering over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes or until it gets thick.
• Cool for 15 minutes.
• Whisk in another third of the cream until it is blended.
• Mix the chopped scallions into the remaining third of cream cheese until it is well blended.
• Line a 6 cup bowl with plastic wrap and leave a 2 inch overhang.
• Turn the pesto into the lined bowl.
• Spoon on the scallion mixture and carefully spread it to cover the pesto layer.
• Top it with the red pepper layer and spread it to completely cover the scallion layer.
• Cover the top with the plastic wrap that was overhanging.
• Refrigerate until firm.
• Three hours.
• Fold back the plastic wrap and unmold onto a serving plate.
• Remove the plastic wrap.
Garnish as desired.
Yield: 5 cups
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