When you are having a crowd over for a game or a party or a family gathering, this is a great cheese and crackers kind of appetizer that everyone loves. Serve it with an assortment of crackers and toasts and several spreading knives because there will be a lot of people wanting to eat it.
8 ounces cream cheese - room temperature
8 ounces goat cheese - room temperature
1 large clove garlic - peeled and crushed (or 2 cloves if you like garlic)
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon thyme leaves (or 1 Tbl chopped fresh basil)
4 T pesto (see Sitara's Basil Pesto recipe in the Sauces section)
1/2 cup roasted red peppers - well drained and chopped.
1/2 cup Kalamata Olive Tapenade (see my recipe in the appetizer section)
Line a glass loaf pan or one quart glass bowl with plastic wrap.
Put the cream cheese, goat cheese and garlic in food processor or mixer and process until very well blended. Add olive oil and herbs and blend well.
Make layers of cheese mix and then ingredients.
Put 1/3 of the cheese mix in the bottom of the lined container. Spread evenly.
Spread the pesto over the cheese mix.
Spread 1/3 of the remaining cheese mix over the pesto.
Put chopped red peppers as the next layer.
Spread 1/2 the remaining cheese mixture over the red peppers.
Spread the Tapenade over.
Finish with the remaining cheese mix.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
To serve, remove covering, place container upside down on serving plate.
Lift up the container and peel off the plastic wrap.
Serve with an assortment of crackers or crostini.
Here are some variations:
Instead of the pesto, saute finely chopped fresh spinach in a bit of
olive oil with a little salt. Mix in finely chopped toasted pine nuts.
Instead of the roasted red peppers, use oil packed sun dried tomatoes well drained and chopped.
Garnish the top of the torta with chopped pine nuts.
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Recipes