Name: Antipasto Cheese Ball
Total time: 3 h 45 min
Yield: Serves 15 to 20
Ingredients: 1 cups shredded provolone cheese; 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese; 8 ounces cream cheese, softened; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 garlic clove, minced; 3 ounces thinly sliced deli salami, chopped; 2 tablespoons jarred roasted red pepper, chopped; 2 tablespoons jarred pepperoncini, chopped; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil; 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Why This Recipe Works

We passed on the processed cheese for more flavorful provolone and mozzarella for our Antipasto Cheese Balls. To add creaminess and help bind the ingredients, we turned to cream cheese, while incorporating mayonnaise provided additional sticking power for the coating. A few hours in the refrigerator ensured that the cheese balls set up perfectly.

Instructions

COMBINE INGREDIENTS Process provolone, mozzarella, cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic, salami, roasted red pepper, pepperoncini, and basil in food processor until smooth.

SHAPE CHEESE BALL Following Step by Step photo at left, transfer cheese mixture to center of large sheet of plastic wrap and tightly wrap, shaping cheese into rough ball. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. (Cheese ball can be refrigerated for 2 days.)

COAT CHEESE BALL Once cheese ball is firm, reshape as necessary to form smooth ball. Unwrap and roll in pine nuts to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Serve.