Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Since I discussed making "bouncy noodles", and bruschetta with sun-dried tomato pesto, I figured I better include the pesto recipe, and give some of the limitless possibilities for said pesto, or basil pesto, or whatsomever your favorite pesto is.

Place in a food processor, 1/2 cup baby spinach, 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, 3 cloves of garlic, 1/2 cup pignoli nuts, 1/2 cup shredded pecorino romano, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Process ingredients together, and you've got some pesto.

These pinwheels with sun dried tomato pesto cream cheese are very yummy appetizers...


1 package of six 10-inch Spinach with Garlic and Pesto Baja Wraps
(any spinach tortillas would do)
2 -8oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sun dried tomato pesto
1 pound thinly slice prosciutto
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 whole roasted red peppers, drained
1/4 cup artichoke hearts,
drained

Put both packages of cream cheese in mixing bowl, and add sun dried tomato pesto and mix thoroughly, then set aside. In food processor, add kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, and artichoke hearts, and mince to make a tapenade, and set aside. Divide the sun dried tomato cream cheese and spread it on each tortilla evenly. Layer the cream cheese with 3 slices of prosciutto, then top with 2 tablespoons of the tapenade and spread evenly over prosciutto. Roll each tortilla tightly, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight. Cut off ends and discard, then cut rolls into 8 even slices. Lay pinwheels flat on serving dish.

Or how about a pesto pizza? Yummo


ARTICHOKE AND PESTO PIZZA
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup purchased or homemade pesto (basil, sun dried tomato, what ever you like)
1 partially baked thin pizza crust
1 shallot, thinly sliced
4 slices prosciutto, chopped
1 large jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese thinly sliced (if cheese is partially frozen, it is much easier to slice thinly)


Preheat oven to 450. Place pine nuts in small, heavy skillet over medium heat; toast, stirring often until the nuts are browned, about 5 minutes. Spread pesto thinly over pizza crust. Distribute drained artichoke hearts, shallots, and prosciutto evenly over pesto; sprinkle with pine nuts. Cover with mozzarella. Bake until bottom of crust is golden and crisp and the cheese has melted, approximately 10-15 minutes.



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