Sun-dried tomato spread

A dense, creamy spread with a deep red hue. The intense aroma of concentrated tomatoes blends with fresh chopped basil and the crunch of toasted pine nuts.

• Prep: 15 min
• Cook: 5 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 291
• Protein: 9 g
• Carbs: 6 g
• Fat: 24 g

Ingredients

• 150 g Fresh cheese ( at room temperature )
• 1 pc Garlic ( finely minced )
• 10 g Basil ( chopped )
• 30 g Pine nut ( toasted )
• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 120 g Sun-dried tomatoes in oil ( drained )

Instructions

1. Toasting pine nuts

   Heat a dry pan. Add the pine nuts. Stir constantly until they turn golden brown and release a nutty aroma. Remove immediately to stop the cooking process.

2. Preparing the base

   Drain the sun-dried tomatoes. Finely chop them by hand or in a food processor to maintain some texture. Mince the degermed garlic very finely. Thinly slice the fresh basil.

3. Assembly and smoothing

   In a mixing bowl, soften the cream cheese with a spatula. Incorporate the tomatoes, garlic, basil, and pine nuts. Drizzle in the olive oil to bind everything together. The mixture should be supple and coat a spoon.

4. Final seasoning

   Taste. Adjust with sea salt and ground black pepper. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and refrigerate to let the flavors develop.

Chef's tips

• Don't over-process the tomatoes; you want to maintain some bite.
• If the spread is too firm, add a tablespoon of the oil from the tomato jar.

Storage

Store for up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.