Gotta love dinner parties ...
And this Saturday one of your gal pals is hosting a modern twist on the old-fashioned pot luck, where each guest is asked to bring a particular course.
You get the pick the recipe ... but it has to be from the selected country of choice.
And this time it's Italy.
Now you're not sure if she questions your cooking ability, thinks you're the busiest guest in the group, or it truly was random, but you've been asked to bring a dip or spread of some sort.
Pretty lame, I know.
BUT, you here's your chance to really wow your fellow guests with the first thing to hit their taste buds.
I actually found this spread on Allrecipes.com a couple years ago when I was researching appetizers ideas for another party. But it wasn't until a friend of mine asked me to make it for a party she was having a couple weeks ago, that I decided to give it a shot.
And I'm really glad I did. For one, it really takes a simple spread up a notch. (A big notch!) But it's also very pretty (read: fancy) to look at, and has a good amount of complex flavors all converging into one big explosion in your mouth.
So the next time your Italian pot luck dinner party throwing friend gives you the duty of brining the dip, go ahead and grin. You have the perfect recipe for a dreamy italian spread that will wow the guests before the dinner even starts.
Until our next meal,
Rebecca
Italian Dream Spread
Ingredients:
Italian Dream Spread
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter
- 3/4 Pound Feta Cheese, Crumbled (2 6 oz. Packages)
- 1 8oz Package Cream Cheese, Softened
- 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
- 1 Shallot, Minced
- 3 Tbs Dry Vermouth
- 1/2 Cup Pine Nuts, Toasted
- 1 Cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Chopped (Not Packed in Oil)
- 3/4 Cup Pesto Sauce
Directions:
- In a food processor, combine the butter, feta cheese, cream cheese, garlic, shallot, and vermouth.
- Process until smooth.
- Oil a medium bowl, or a few smaller dishes, and line with plastic wrap for easy removal.
- Layer the dip into the mold as follows: sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, pesto, cheese mixture. Repeat. Pat down into the mold, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Turn the drip out onto a serving plate, and remove plastic wrap. Serve with crackers.
Source: Allrecipes.com
