READY IN ABOUT 1½ hrs

Dip For The Stars

Read Reviews (256)

"A delectable layered dip for any special occasion made with feta and cream cheese, pesto, pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes. Vodka or gin may be substituted for the vermouth. Looks beautiful on the table, tastes heavenly on your tongue!" — DANA COLE

Directions

In a food processor, combine the butter, feta cheese, cream cheese, garlic, shallot, vermouth, and white pepper. Process until smooth.
Oil a medium bowl, or gelatin mold, and line with plastic wrap for easy removal. Layer the dip into the mold as follows: Sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, pesto, cheese mixture. Repeat. Pat down into the mold, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Turn the dip out onto a serving plate, and remove plastic wrap. Serve with crackers.

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PREP 20 mins
READY IN 1 hr 20 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Feb 02, 2005

This is a GREAT recipe, delicious flavors. It makes a ton of dip. It's not really a dip, but more of a layered "torte" of cheese, pesto, sundried tomatoes, etc. I made it for a Christmas gathering, and even with 15 guests, I still had quite a bit left over. I would suggest lining your serving plate with basil leaves so that they peek out from under the dip. Great presentation! Make sure to serve with crackers that are not salty. A toasted Italian bread or a sturdy water cracker works well.

—SUEG3

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Feb 06, 2007

This was pretty good, but not great. A good combination of ingredients, but perhaps in the wrong proportions. Chopping all those sundried tomatoes was too much work for the outcome. The garlic overpowered the feta. I'm a big garlic fan, but one small clove would have been more than plenty. The oil in the pesto I used had separated, and I made the mistake of stirring it back in before using it. I should have drained off the oil instead. The oil kind of drained down and sat there on the plate after the dip had come up to room temperature. I don't think I'll make this again.

—Lisa6

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309 Ratings

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Nov 25, 2008

This was very good and enjoyed by our guests. The only changes I made in the preparation was that I put the sundried tomatoes in the food processor. I do not care for them in chunks and it really spread more easily. I also put this in a small 4" springform pan. I did line it with plastic and it was so easy to present and looked beautiful. I was asked for the recipe and I will certainly make it again....oh, I used vodka too.

—cook in CALIF

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Dec 10, 2007

Absolutely the best dip ever! I made it for a holiday party this past weekend - everyone loved it AND many asked me for the recipe~! I did make a few changes based on other reviews. First off I made my own pesto sauce from this recipe off the site: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pesto-Sauce/Detail.aspx - I halved the amount, used pine nuts and didn't add much salt which I think is really what made the dip as a whole good because I think store bought pesto is much saltier and the dip is already very flavorful on its own. For the dip, I also halved the recipe, still made a lot good for 15-20 people. Used a creamy feta, fresh cream cheese from a cheese market. Used about 1 1/4 cup of sun dried tomatoes in jar in oil - but made sure to drain as much oil as possible. Used all the pesto which was about 1 1/2 cup, again try to leave out oily parts. I added more tomatoes and pesto because other reviews stated there was too much cheese mixture, and it's true. So I just made the dip as I wanted and added more of the other layers. Best served with whole wheat pita or baguettes and make sure you place them on a separate plate because the dip will still be a bit oily on the bottom. WONDERFUL DIP!!

—Sonia

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Jun 05, 2007

This spread is delicious and unique. It truly is much more colorful than this photo depicts. Couple of tips...I've gotten the best reviews when I serve the spread with slices of baguette bread. The flavor is simply too overwhelming for a cracker in my opinion. The bread slice stands up to the texture and flavors quite nicely and it makes the perfect two-bite appetizer. This recipe goes a LONG way as it's quite rich. I agree with those who say leave the butter in. The texture would change too much without it. I have found, however, that I need to soak up some of the oil that leeches out of the spread from the pesto and sundried tomatoes. It looks nicer if you clean it up a bit once it's set. You won't have to worry how it looks for long, however, because it will be GONE! Great recipe.

—krash

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Oct 22, 2007

I used my large mixer with a wire beater instead of my tiny processor. This recipe makes a large amount that my processor cannot accomodate. Came out wonderfully. Next time I'll double the amount of tomatoes and nuts and increase the pesto to 1 c. since there is so much cheese mixture. Let it come to room temperature before eating, otherwise it will be crumbly. This is a wonderful recipe for entertaining.

—Kym's Kitchen

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Feb 18, 2004

This dip is raved over everytime. I served it at a dinner party and between 8 people the entire recipe was gone (that is a LOT of dip!). I've been asked to make it several times since. What is especially impressive is that since things are whipped together in the food processor, all of the flavors melt together beautifully, and no one knows what makes them love it so much! If I paid top dollar for this at a restaurant I would not be disappointed.

—amberb

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Jan 24, 2004

My sister made this for a party and people could not stop talking about how delicious this "dip" was. (It's actually more like a spread for crackers.) She halved the recipe for the amount of people attending and it was more than sufficient. The presentation is spectacular, not to mention how wonderful the ingredients taste together. Simply outstanding!

—KOALAGIRL

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Nutrition

Calories
162 kcal
8%

Carbohydrates
2.9 g
< 1%

Cholesterol
36 mg
12%

Fat
15.2 g
23%

Fiber
0.5 g
2%

Protein
4.2 g
8%

Sodium
234 mg
9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Dip For The Stars

Serving Size: 1/30 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 30
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 162
Calories from Fat: 137

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 15.2g 23 %
Saturated Fat 8.2g 41 %
Cholesterol 36mg 12 %
Sodium 234mg 9 %
Potassium 119mg 3 %
Total Carbohydrates 2.9g < 1 %
Dietary Fiber 0.5g 2 %
Protein 4.2g 8 %
** Sugars 1.4g
Vitamin A 9 %
Vitamin C 2 %
Calcium 14 %
Iron 8 %
** Thiamin 5 %
Niacin 8 %
Vitamin B6 5 %
Magnesium 5 %
Folate 5 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.