Recipe - Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Loaf

1 pound Provolone cheese; thin slice
One half cup Oil packed dried tomatoes
drained; chopped
Pesto; (purchased or recipe
follows)
Garlic cream; (purchased 2
cartons soft spreadable
garlic or boursin style
cheese, or recipe follows)

CHEESE CLOTH PESTO
2 Cloves garlic; minced
1 cup Fresh basil leaves
1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
One half cup Olive oil garlic cheese
8 ounce Cream cheese; softened
One half Stick butter; softened
1 Clove garlic; minced
Pepper
One fourth cup Pistachios; shelled, roasted

Line a loaf or round cake pan with damp cheese cloth, leaving excess to
hang over sides. Using half provolone cheese, line panpressing edges to
seam. Divide remaining cheese into three equal portions. Spread half pesto
over provolone in pan bottom. Next layer in this order: 1. a layer of
provolone cheese 2. sprinkle with half dried tomatoes 3. spread garlic
cream cheese 4. sprinkle rest of dried tomatoes 5. a layer of provolone
cheese 6. remaining pesto 7. final layer of provolone cheese Fold cheese
cloth over loaf. Press firmly to compress. (a small weight helps but is not
necessary) Refrigerate for at least two hours. (I prefer overnight and
this lasts WELL). When ready to serve, fold back cheese cloth and invert
onto serving plate. Remove cheese cloth and garnish with Basil, a cut
tomato, etc. Serve with crackers. For loaf pan make long thin slices. For
cake pan make wedges. This is rich and elegant!! Pesto: Process all in a
food processor or blender until smooth. This will stand for days. Garlic
cheese: Cream all ingredients except pistachios in a food processor, by
electric mixer or by hand. Lastly add pistachios. NOTEEven if I use a
garlic cheese spread, I like to add the pistachios. I suppose walnuts would
work, but this is special, and if you're going to use all the other
ingredients, why skimp on these. This makes a LARGE number of servings,
since it is rich. Therefore, it is great for parties. It is difficult to
divide, because of the shaping, but it does last well for days. Happy
holidays to all, Carol MM Format Norma Wrenn
Posted to MCRecipe Digest by "M. Hicks" nitro_ii@email.msn.com on Feb
16, 1998