I spend a lot of time driving and thankfully 90% of the time I enjoy it. I do some of my best thinking while behind the wheel and that is where this recipe came from.
The other day while driving home I was thinking about a Southern Classic…… Pimento Cheese. It had been ages since I had made pimento cheese and I suddenly had the craving. I knew I had mayo and a jar of pimentos in the pantry but I was almost certain I didn’t have cheddar cheese. All I had was some provolone, mozzarella, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Then it hit me “What if” I took this classic Southern staple and gave it an Italian Spin? “What if” I replaced the cheddar with a blend of mozzarella, smoked provolone, and Parmigiano Reggiano ? “What if” I add in mascarpone cheese instead of cream cheese? Toss in some garlic, fresh herbs and red pepper flakes…. My food tangents can spiral out of control sometimes 🙂
I whipped up a batch of this Italian pimento cheese last weekend for a Sunday snack and it did not disappoint.
Then again can you ever go wrong with Italian cheeses?
Where do you do some of your best thinking?
Enjoy!
Italian Pimento Cheese
Ingredients:
4 oz. Mascarpone Cheese
1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, grated
1 Cup Smoked Provolone, grated
1/2 Cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
1/2 Clove Garlic, Grated
Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Hellemans Mayo With Olive Oil
4 oz. Diced Pimentos, drained
1 handful Fresh Basil Leaves, torn
1 Sprig Fresh Oregano, roughly chopped
1-2 Pinches Red Pepper Flakes
2 Pinches Onion Powder
Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Serve with toasted baguette, veggies, crackers, fresh basil, salami, or just enjoy with a spoon.
This looks delicious! I have book club next week and this would be the perfect dish to make for it! Thanks for the great idea and recipe 🙂
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Thanks Amanda!! if you try it let me know what you think… What are you reading for your book club?
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I will! We read Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. Thirteen short shorties all wrapped into one! It was pretty good actually 🙂
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So tasty and so nicely presented. 🙂
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thanks 🙂
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I love the presentation! Well done!
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Thanks 🙂 pretty good is always more fun to eat
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This sounds really good, and I love your photo! Very artistic! 🙂
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Thanks Tonya 🙂 I was hoping that if the veggies at least looked pretty the husband might eat them.
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Well, they’re beautiful! That’s so funny, because I usually have to entice my husband to eat veggies, too; I end up dumping a lot of Parmesan cheese on them, and that seems to work well! 😉
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This looks really yummy! I do my thinking while I hike/walk!! All that time with myself 🙂
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Thanks Lety 🙂 love hiking too but I always feel bad if I go with out my dog and she makes it impossible to think… She’s too funny and makes me laugh
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What a great idea! This looks so good and I love the presentation. I do my best thinking when I am walking or cleaning.
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Yeah, definitely making this soon
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HI Mel– this looks like the perfect plate to set out for a summer dinner in the backyard. So fresh and interesting!! great recipe! great post!
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Thanks Rhonda 🙂
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What a fantastic idea for a remake on Southern Pimento! I’d be scarfing that up in a heartbeat if I came across a platter like that, really. Job well done, great recipe, thank you! I love all the fresh herbs, too, as my herb garden is finally “growing” after a cold spell.
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Thanks Kathryn 🙂 After a month of non stop rain we now have sunshine too and my garden had exploded!
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Yum this looks like such a great spin on the original!!
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We’re hosting Girl’s Night Out next weekend and will be sure to add this to the menu! Thanks for sharing the recipe and the photo.
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I love the presentation! This would look nice on any appetizer table!
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