GOAT CHEESE TORTA

WHAT IS A TORTA?   Its a rich layered dessert or cheese appetizer.  Italian torta is the appetizer. This is best prepared a day before serving.
                                         Serves about 10

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

28 to 32 ounces of  Goat Cheese

1 teaspoon coarse salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups basil/parsley Pesto   (You will have extra to freeze.)

1 cup to  1 1/2  prepared plum jam, 
        ( I reboil it to thicken it more and then cool.)

DIRECTONS:

Line a 3 X 8 loaf pan with parchment paper; set aside. (I used a small plastic storage container) You can substitute a small dish of any kind that you can line. You will remove it later anyway to turn the torta over onto a serving plate.

Using a hand mixer , beat butter until smooth.  Add goat cheese, in batches, and beat until no lumps remain. Season with salt and pepper and beat again.

Divide goat cheese mixture into 2 or more equal portions. Using a spatula or spoon spread one portion of the goat cheese mixture over the bottom of your dish; top with pesto, spreading evenly. Spread the plum jam on top of the pesto. Spread another layer of goat cheese on top and completely cover the jam so that no jam is visible.  Cover with plastic wrap.  (Note: You can do several layers if you like.  I just did 4 layers because I had more cheese than I thought. Also I put the "log to be" in the freezer after each layer to get it firm.)

Sometimes I roll it in toasted pine nuts at the end.  Or press them into the bottom of the log.  Yummy.

Refrigerate and chill until firm.  Slice crosswise and serve with crackers of sourdough rounds that are toasted.  Makes over 3 cups.  

BASIL PESTO
3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1 1/4 cups packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leavesPublish Post

1 1/2 cups pinenuts, toasted

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cups extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients in the jar of a blender. Blend until smooth. It makes a great green color. This recipe is very similar to several I found on the internet.  This is my version.

It tastes the best when its been refrigerated 24 to 48 hours. The flavors have blended perfectly. It will keep for 5 days at least.

PRESENTATION:
Place chilled torta on serving plate. Slice individual portions with dental floss or a sharp knife. Its tricky. It wants to crumble a little, but it spreads back with a knife.

Now the best part. Fill a ziploc bag with some of the plum jam. Cut a corner out of the bag. Squirt the jam down the center of the top of the torta for decoration.  
You have red, green and white.   I like to put some jam along the sides of the torta if I 
have enough.

There will be no leftovers. If there is, you will take them home to eat.