I was asked to be a judge for the Cheese and Champagne blog's Cheese Ball Invitational competition recently. It was a pleasure to look over all the recipes and help to decide the winners.
It also inspired me to create my own cheese ball recipe. Just in time for the big game this weekend. This recipe is based on a dip I have been making since the 1980's and the ingredients certainly show it! Classic combination.
Ingredients:
- 1 11-ounce package soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet)
- 1/2 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- 4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled
- 1/4 cup (about) sour cream
- Cracked Black Pepper
- 2/3 cup pine nuts
- 2 French bread baguettes, sliced
What to do:
Combine the goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes & thyme in a bowl. Use a fork to break up the cheese, add enough sour cream to make a creamy texture, but keep the texture firm. Add a grind or two of black pepper. Taste and add more thyme, salt or pepper if needed to balance the flavor. Refrigerate the cheese mixture for one hour.
Heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and toast them lightly. Let them cool. Lay them out on a plate. Using plastic wrap or waxed paper to cover your hands, create a ball with the cheese dip mixture. Roll the cheese ball into the pine nuts to coat completely.
Serve with the sliced baguettes.
Article written by contributing editor Vickie McCorkendale