Italian Layered Spread

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (you can also use a mix or romano if you like, either way is yummy)
• 1/3 cup pesto sauce (i used my frozen pesto-4 cubes thawed to equal 1/3 c. frozen pesto)
• 1 (2 ounce) jar pimientos (here is where i changed this recipe i took 1/2 a red pepper sliced thinly, seeded, then chopped fine)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Recipe

• 1 cream the cream cheeze with 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese until well blended.
• 2 spread this mixture at the bottom of a 9" quiche.
• 3 in a small pan pour just enough oil about 2 teaspoons just so you can soften up the peppers slightly.
• 4 you don't want them to brown, just saute a few seconds.
• 5 lay and drain on a paper towel to absorb any access oil and let cool while preparing the rest.
• 6 layer 1/3 cup pesto*, the jar of pimentos or the red fried peppers, and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese over the cream cheese mixture.
• 7 bake at 350* for 15 min.
• 8 or until the mixture is heated through.
• 9 serve with crackers orsliced italian bread.
• 10 i found that italian toast was outstanding with it by nonni's.
• 11 *notice- if you want to make the recipe for the frozen pesto, you can make it and whatever you do not use for this recipe you can freeze the rest for a later recipe.
• 12 i find the pesto cubes are great in a pinch even for a quick tomato sauce or to liven up a sauce.
• 13 **youcan assemble this a day ahead, cover with plastic and heat and serve the next day as well.
• 14 enjoy.
• 15 this is so easy!