Layered Cheese with Pesto (Print View)

A beautiful appetizer combining cream cheese, fresh pesto, and sun-dried tomatoes, wrapped in provolone—made for festive gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cheesy Foundation

01 - 1 pound of provolone cheese, thinly sliced
02 - Three packs (8 oz each) of softened cream cheese

→ Green Pesto Mix

03 - 1/4 cup of fresh basil, plus a few extra leaves for topping
04 - 1 cup of turnip greens or leftovers from another leafy green
05 - 3/4 cup grated parmesan, or just 1/2 cup depending on texture
06 - A third of a cup of olive oil
07 - 2 tbsp chopped walnuts (optional for crunch)

→ Tomato Layer

08 - Sun-dried tomatoes, 3 oz, cut into thin strips
09 - A tablespoon of olive oil

→ Flavor Boosters

10 - 8 fresh garlic cloves

# Directions:

01 - Blitz the garlic in a food processor till it's very finely minced. Take it out and divide it into three equal parts.
02 - Throw the greens, basil, some parmesan, walnuts, and one section of garlic into a food processor. Pulse a few times. Slowly pour in 1/3 cup of oil while blending until you've got a chunky, crumbly pesto. If it’s runny, sprinkle in more parmesan. Set aside for now.
03 - Put the next bit of garlic into the processor along with the sun-dried tomatoes and one tablespoon of oil. Process till it’s finely chopped into tiny bits. Keep it aside.
04 - Place the last garlic portion and the cream cheese into the processor. Blend till it’s all smooth and fluffy.
05 - Take some plastic wrap and line a small loaf pan, leaving enough wrap to fold over later. Cover the bottom and sides totally with provolone slices.
06 - Spoon in some of the cream cheese to form the base layer. Spread pesto on top of that, then a tomato layer. Add provolone on top. Keep layering until you’ve used everything up, finishing the top with provolone slices.
07 - Wrap the extra plastic tightly over the top. Gently press down and set in the fridge for at least 12 hours, but an overnight rest gives the best results.
08 - Take it out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving to warm up slightly. Flip it onto a platter, peel off the wrap, and tidy up by trimming extra provolone on the edges. Finally, add basil leaves on top as decoration.

# Notes:

01 - Perfect as a gorgeous centerpiece appetizer for parties. Prepping it two days ahead works great.
02 - Pair it with bread like crostini, crackers, or sliced baguette for serving.

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