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Savory Italian-Style Wisconsin Cheese Ball

Posted By On December 21, 2011 @ 9:28 am In Dips, Spreads and Glazes,Holidays

Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board recipe.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup pine nuts
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) Asiago cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) Fontina cheese, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, cut in chunks and at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons prepared, refrigerated basil pesto
  • 2 tablespoons half-and-half, if needed
  • 1/4 cup marinated, sun-dried tomatoes, diced and dried well
  • Fresh basil, for garnish, if desired
  • Sun-dried tomatoes, slivered, for garnish, if desired
  • Crusty bread, Italian breadsticks, or crostini crackers

Directions

Preheat oven to 375ยบ. Spread pine nuts on baking sheet and toast for about 5 minutes or until golden. (Check after 3 minutes and stir.) Pour onto waxed paper and cool. Place Asiago, Fontina, Parmesan and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor, and process until well blended. Add pesto (drain first if the pesto is runny). Pulse to incorporate. If mixture is too stiff, add half-and-half to reach desired consistency. Remove mixture to bowl and stir or work in tomatoes with your hands. When ready to serve, shape cheese mixture into a ball. Roll in toasted pine nuts, pushing nuts into the ball, if necessary. Garnish with fresh basil and slivers of sun-dried tomatoes. Serve with crusty bread, Italian breadsticks or crostini crackers.

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