Day 162: Mini Tomato Pesto Torte ♥

Here on A Veggie Venture, I try to insert vegetables into every course.

So for an easy, make-ahead appetizer from on-hand ingredients, I worked toward something roughly half cheese, half vegetable.

And it worked. The proportions were right. The cream/acid mix was right. The color contrast was pretty.

And OH: yes, it tasted great!

MINI TOMATO PESTO TORTE
Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 2 hours
Serves about 4


TOMATO PESTO
4 cloves roasted garlic
8 sun-dried tomato halves (the ones from my grocery are soft and seem to be dried without oil)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (see ALANNA's TIPS)
2 teaspoons olive oil
Some other liquid (tonight, I used juice from a jar of roasted peppers but fruit juice, even water would work)

In a small food processor (tonight, I used my favorite food processor attachment to an immersion blender), mix all the ingredients except the 'other liquid'. Then add enough of the other liquid to create a firm but moist paste.

TO ASSEMBLE

Line a one cup ramekin with plastic wrap. Arrange in layers as follows, pressing firmly after each layer:

2 tablespoons toasted walnuts, chopped
Greek yogurt (or goat cheese or cream cheese)
1/2 the tomato pesto
1 tablespoon toasted walnuts, chopped
Greek yogurt
1/2 the tomato pesto
Greek yogurt

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 164 Cal (45% from Fat, 25% from Protein, 30% from Carb); 11 g Protein; 9 g Tot Fat; 2 g Sat Fat; 13 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; 90 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 218 mg Sodium; 10 mg Cholesterol, Weight Watchers 4 points

ALANNA's TIPS
  • I use a Microplane for creating piles of fluffy Parmesan. A cup comes from a piece about an inch square. If you're using a box grater, start with a piece this size, then grate.
  • The Greek yogurt seemed perfect, having a slight tang like yogurt but a little creamier.


Alanna Kellogg
Alanna Kellogg

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

Comments