Goat Cheese Torte

I'll start out by letting you know that beyond the rounded shape, this dish is in no way resembles a torte. There's no eggs or flour. No sweetness of any variety. There is not a morsel of chocolate in sight. Although if you feel as strongly about chèvre as I do, you may argue that no cake in the world could compare to a creamy mountain of goat cheese.

This recipe came from fellow goat enthusiast and bff (and possible future guest poster?), Laurie. It can be traced back to her mother, a phenomenal cook by the looks of several recipes I've been privileged to receive (watch out for the best pulled pork of your life, a summer staple).

One warning (aside from the FDA-mandated "you may become dependent on this substance"), the ingredients are a bit tricky to layer if you are going for beautifully even stripes. Not impossible, and I'm sure there is some clever way to do it, I've just never really cared too much.

Unfortunately, I've been banned from making this scrumptious spread every week as I would prefer. It has been strictly assigned to the realm of party food.  Guess that just means we need to be more social.

The full recipe listed here makes a pretty substantial torte, and the photos here only show a half batch. Luckily for you, it freezes excellently. And leftovers can be used any way you can think of using goat cheese: on pasta, in eggs, in a box, with a fox.

Goat Cheese Torte

Courtesy of the Gorham Family

Serves a party of 20

8 oz cream cheese, softened
15 oz goat cheese
1 cup butter
8 oz basil pesto (store bought or homemade)
8 oz sun-dried tomato pesto (store bought or homemade)

1. Choose a pan or mold to hold your torte, either an 8 inch springform pan, or my personal favorite, a weird shaped bundt or baking pan. A large bowl will also work perfect, producing a smooth dome. Line whatever you have choosen with a sheet of plastic wrap, making sure it goes well beyond the pan's edge.

2. Blend cream cheese, goat cheese and butter until fluffy with a mixer or food processor.

3. Begin assembling your layers. Spread a heaping cup of cheese mixture in the bottom of pan. The cover it with basil pesto. Next the sun-dried tomato pesto. Then more cheese. Lather, rinse, repeat until all supplies are used.

4. Fold extra plastic wrap across the top and wrap the whole thing in two layers of foil. If you've filled the pan to the brim, place it in a dish to catch oil drips (from the pestos). Freeze for several hours or overnight, but be sure to begin defrosting at least 12 hours in advance. Serve with toasted baguette and crackers!