Goat Cheese Torta Appetizer

When Erich and I were in graduate school in Chicago we would often drive to Huron, Ohio for the holidays. Erich's mother was (and is) so generous and welcoming and her home was (and is) so lovely that we nicknamed it, "Rancho Relaxo." It was a house busy with family and often full of young niblings. In spite of all the family activities, when in Ohio, Erich and I would nap until noon, go for runs in the woods, and then sit around sipping coffee or cocktails and marveling at how people with children got through their day. I'd like to kick my 23 year old self in the shins.

One of my favorite things about cocktail hour at "Rancho Relaxo" was the giant goat cheese torta that Erich's aunt would bring almost every time she drove up from Cincinnati. It was a feast of goat cheese, pesto, and sun dried tomatoes layered six inches high, and I would studiously apply myself to its consumption. (If you're in Cincinnati you can get a slice of this Torta at Piazza Discepoli.)

I have not had a piece of that torta in 10 years, but I haven't forgotten about it. The other day I got up the nerve to try and make it myself. There are a few recipes for similar tortas online, but none of them seemed right, so I came up with my own ratios and added my own secret ingredient to elevate the whole thing.

NOTE ABOUT GOAT CHEESE, CREAM CHEESE AND VEGAN CHEESE

This is not the place to use your fanciest goat cheese. Save that to serve on its own. A medium quality cheese is absolutely fine. That said, a good quality and full fat cream cheese is imperative here to achieve a creamy and seductive texture. Could you use vegan cashew cheese for this? I have not tried, but my instinct is that you could and it would be fantastic.

NOTE ABOUT SIZE

This recipe can be doubled. You can either build the layers higher or use a 8 inch cake pan for a mold.

NOTE ABOUT USING A STAND MIXER

I did not test this recipe on a stand mixer, but my gut tells me it would work just fine for whipping your cheeses and buter together. If you use a stand mixer you're going to have to mince your sun dried tomatoes by hand.

Rancho Relaxo Goat Cheese Torta

Time: 1 hour for goat cheese, cream cheese, and butter to come to room temperature. 15 minutes to make. 2-24 hours to firm in the fridge.

Equipment: food processor or stand mixer. bowl or small cake pan, plastic wrap. Serves 6-8 as an appitizer.

Ingredients

4 ounces goat cheese

8 ounces full fat cream cheese

2 tablespoons unsalted European style butter

optional 1 ounce grated Asiago cheese (about 1/4 cup)

1/4 cup prepared pesto. (2 ounces) You can make your own, but your favorite store bought brand is fine

1/2 cup or 3.5 ounces sun dried tomatoes packed in oil

1/3 cup (1.5 ounces) thin sliced toasted almonds divided

STEP ONE

Set out goat cheese, cream cheese, and butter to come to room temperature. Line a 6 inch cake pan or cereal bowl with plastic wrap and set aside. Toast your sliced almonds in a pan over medium low heat until they just take on color and start to smell. Set them aside to cool.

STEP TWO

Remove your sun dried tomatoes from the can allowing most of the oil to drip off. If you're using a food processor place sun dried tomatoes in the bowl of the processor and pulse until they form a chunky paste. Remove tomato paste and set aside in a small bowl. Clean the food processor bowl and blade to use for cream cheese. (Otherwise you'll get pink cheese). Grate your Asiago if using.

STEP TWO

Combine room temperature goat cheese, cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until fully combined. Add your grated Asiago cheese, if using and pulse until incorporated.

STEP THREE

Spread out a layer of about 1.5 tablespoon almonds so that they just cover the bottom of your plastic wrap lined bowl or pan. Then cover the almond layer with half of your pesto. Then layer in half of your cheese mixture and use your fingers to spread it out. Layer about 1 tablespoon of sliced almonds next, then the sun dried tomato paste. Finish with the rest of the cheese blend. Cover the top with another sheet of plastic wrap and set in the fridge for 2-24 hours.

STEP FOUR

Remove your goat cheese torta from the fridge about 30 minutes before you intend to serve it. unwrap it from the plastic wrap and invert it on a plate. You can then cover the sides and top of your torta with sliced almonds to give it a more elevated look. Just gently press the almonds to the top and sides, and brush away any crumbs that do not adhere.

Enjoy this torta spread on crackers or sliced baguette. It will keep in the fridge for about 3 days.