Ingredients
- cloves garlic, peeled
- /2 cups fresh basil leaves
- teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- /4 cup pine nuts
- tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- /3 cups softened cream cheese
- /4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- /3 cups sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
- /3 cup tomato paste
- /4 cup butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Step 1
First, I toss the garlic, basil, lemon juice, pine nuts, and olive oil into a food processor and blend until finely chopped. Then I add 1/3 cup of the cream cheese and all the Parmesan, pulsing until almost smooth. I scrape that pesto into a bowl and set it aside. Without washing the processor, I pulse the drained sun-dried tomatoes until coarsely chopped, then blend in the tomato paste and another 1/3 cup of cream cheese until smooth. In a separate bowl, I beat the remaining 2 cups cream cheese with the butter using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, seasoning with salt and pepper. To assemble, I line a 1.5-quart dish with plastic wrap, letting it overhang. I spread 3/4 cup of the cream cheese-butter mixture on the bottom, layer half the tomato mixture, then 1/2 cup of the cream mixture, then half the pesto. I repeat with the remaining tomato, cream mixture, and pesto, finishing with the last of the cream mixture on top. After covering, I chill it overnight. To serve, I invert the dish onto a platter, peel off the plastic, and let it sit for a few minutes before slicing into wedges or spreading on low-carb crackers.