Cheese and Tomato Roll

Name: Cheese and Tomato Roll
Ingredients: 3 eggs; 80 g butter; 50 g cheese; 20 g tomato paste; 20 g starch (I used corn starch); 20 g flour; 0.5 tsp baking powder; salt; 150 g cream cheese; 50 g sour cream; spices to taste (I used basil, oregano, garlic, and parsley); salt and pepper

A very elegant and delicious appetizer featuring cheese in the sponge and a creamy cheese filling. The roll turned out incredibly tasty — savory and piquant, with a wonderful cheesy tomato finish. It's perfect for a festive table, pairs beautifully with a glass of wine, or you can simply make it to treat your loved ones to something new and exciting.

Ingredients:

Sponge:
3 eggs
80 g butter
50 g cheese
20 g tomato paste
20 g starch (I used corn starch)
20 g flour
0.5 tsp baking powder
salt
Filling:
150 g cream cheese
50 g sour cream
spices to taste (I used basil, oregano, garlic, and parsley)
salt and pepper

How to cook cheese and tomato roll

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a separate bowl until soft peaks form.

Beat the softened butter until light and fluffy.

Add the egg yolks and beat well, then add the tomato paste and beat again. Add the flour, starch, and baking powder, and mix briefly.

Add the finely grated cheese and stir to combine. It's best to use a fairly hard cheese with a bold, tangy flavor.

Fold in the beaten egg whites in batches, gently incorporating each addition.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the batter into a rectangle.

Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for about 10–15 minutes — don't overbake! While the sponge is still hot, roll it up inside a kitchen towel. Let it cool.

Prepare the filling. Place the room-temperature cream cheese in a bowl and add the sour cream (you may need more or less sour cream depending on how thick your cream cheese is). Add the spices to taste. I used a pinch each of basil, oregano, and dried garlic, plus a little fresh parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix everything together thoroughly.

Unroll the sponge, spread the filling over it, leaving a couple of centimeters bare along the far edge. Trim the near and far edges of the sponge.

Roll it up into a log. Then wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, or longer.

Slice with a sharp knife into 1 cm rounds and serve. I found the roll was even better the next day — the sponge had softened and soaked up all the flavors, and the taste became wonderfully harmonious, savory, and full of cheesy tomato goodness!