Garlic Basil Cheese Spread
Use our BakeBot Ai Chat for instant answers.
Why I Love This Recipe
This is delicious served with a crusty French or sourdough bread!
(Courtesy of 'Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites')
Ingredients You'll Need
3/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2/3 cup 1% cottage cheese
1 tablespoons Roasted Garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup diced roasted red peppers (optional)
About 6 medium garlic cloves will yield 1 tablespoon of roasted garlic paste.
Directions
ROASTED GARLIC:
2 to 4 heads garlic
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Remove some of the papery skin from the heads of garlic, but be careful not to break the cloves apart.
Cut off the top 1/2 inch of each head. Place the heads of garlic in a small, unoiled baking dish or on a sheet of aluminum foil.
Add a tablespoon of water and either cover the baking dish tightly with foil or fold the sheet of aluminum foil to form a sealed package.
Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the cloves are very soft to the touch.
Baking time will vary, depending upon the size of the heads of garic.
Let cool.
Squeeze the garlic paste from the heads as needed.
Sealed an refrigerated, roasted garlic will keep for at least a week.
SPREAD:
Place the yogurt in a yogurt drainer or strainer lined with a coffee filter.
Set aside to drain for about an hour.
This should yield about 1/2 cup of drained yogurt.
Combine the drained yogurt, cottage cheese, garlic and basil in a blender and blend until smooth.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in the roasted red peppers, if using.
Cover and refrigerate, allowing to sit for at least 30 minutes so the flavors will marry.
Note: One clove of fresh garlic can be used in place of the roasted garlic, which will result in a sharper flavor.