Feta, Pesto and Red Pepper Spread

Christmas comes but once a year. It is a time to put your best foot forward, be it charity or hospitality. The family gathers in our house as we celebrate. I try this inverted spread, a layered hillock of cream cheese and feta, pesto and diced roasted red peppers. This comes together as I forage through the fridge, another favorite pastime. 

Room temperature feta and cream cheese are whisked with garlic and onion powder till soft and fluffy. Buy or make your pesto. You will need all of one heaping tablespoon. Drain the pesto well on paper towels. Chop jarred roasted red peppers into small dice and pat them dry as well. The drier your ingredients, the less likelihood of colors leaching. Line a bowl with damp cheesecloth. Divide the cheese into three portions. Daub some cheese at the bottom of the bowl. Top it with a layer of red peppers. Smooth some more cheese over peppers. Spread pesto. Finish with last portion of cheese. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours. Unmold on to a platter to enjoy as an appetizer.


FETA, PESTO AND RED PEPPER SPREAD
Serves 6
GF, WF, VG, EF


1/2 cup Feta, crumbled
1/2 cup Cream Cheese
1 tablespoon Creme Fraiche
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
2 tablespoons diced Roasted Red Pepper 
1 tablespoon Pesto
Crackers(OPTIONAL)

Allow cheeses to come to room temperature. Whisk cheeses with a couple of sprinkles of garlic and onion powder. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain pesto on paper towels till thick. This might take a while. Or lightly squeeze out the water.

Pat the red peppers dry. 

Wet a large piece of cheesecloth and squeeze water out. Cloth should be damp. I used an old cotton sari cut into large squares.

Line a small bowl with the damp cheesecloth. Make sure the cheesecloth is bigger than the bowl as it should drape over the edge. I used a 6 inch wide bowl.

Divide cheese into three portions. Use a spoon to pat one portion in the bottom of the bowl. This will be the top layer.

Spoon the red peppers over the cheese. 

Add another layer of cheese over the peppers. 

Spread pesto over cheese. 

Finish with the last portion of cheese. 

Cover the top layer with cheesecloth. Press down gently.

Refrigerate for 2 hours. I kept mine overnight in the fridge.

Unmold onto a platter. Remove cheesecloth.

Serve with crackers.

As the rib roast sizzles, we munch and imbibe. Presents are torn open with gusto! Air kisses are blown. And the warmth of Christmas envelops us again. 

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