Cheese Cream

I can provide you with a simple recipe to prepare cheese cream. It will be perfect as a base for dressing pasta or as a spread on crostini and bread. The recipe I’ll describe to you is a very versatile version, which you can adapt according to your personal taste or the ingredients you have available.

Ingredients

• 250 g of soft cheese (such as Philadelphia or other spreadable cheese)
• 50 g of soft butter
• 100 ml of fresh cream
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• Freshly chopped aromatic herbs (optional, for example, chives or parsley)
• Garlic powder or a finely chopped fresh garlic clove (optional)

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, put the soft spreadable cheese and the soft butter.
2. Using an electric whisk or spatula, start to work the two ingredients until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.
3. Add the fresh cream, a little at a time, continuing to stir to incorporate it well into the cheese mixture.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you wish, you can also add finely chopped aromatic herbs and powdered or finely chopped garlic to give more flavor to the cream.
5. Once the cheese cream has reached a smooth and spreadable consistency, taste and adjust the seasoning and spices if necessary.
6. Use the cheese cream to dress pasta (adding, if you like, diced cooked ham or speck), as a base for a sauce for steamed vegetables, or as a spread on bread and crostini.

If you want an Italian touch, you could use mascarpone instead of the spreadable cheese, or add grated Parmesan to the cream for a stronger flavor and a tie to Italian tradition. Remember that cheese cream is very versatile, so feel free to experiment with different types of cheeses and aromatic additions according to your preference or the dish you want to accompany.

Fun Fact

In Italy, cheese cream is often used as a base for stuffing appetizers like vol-au-vent or tartines, or as a dressing for stuffed pasta, like ravioli or tortellini.