Recipe Archives->Dips->Tomato Torta

DRIED TOMATO TORTA
 
1 cup (1/2 lb) each cream cheese and unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (5 oz.) freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained (reserve oil)
2 tablespoons oil from dried tomatoes
About 2 cups 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 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 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.

Printable version: tomato-torta.txt.