Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Torta

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A delicious torta made with cream cheese, blue cheese, and fresh herbs, perfect for serving with crostini or crackers.

Servings

15

Vegetarian
Snack
Dairy-Free
Appetizer

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
  • 4 ounces blue cheese at room temperature
  • 1 small clove garlic peeled
  • 3/4 cup Italian parsley loosely packed
  • 1/4 cup basil loosely packed
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes drained and slivered
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1/4 cup walnuts finely chopped (or pecans)

Preparation

  1. In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese and blue cheese, mix until smooth and then set aside.
  2. Drop one small clove garlic into the DRY bowl of an electric food processor with the motor running. Instant minced garlic! (You may, of course, mince garlic and chop the remaining ingredients by hand.) Combine parsley, basil and sun-dried tomatoes in the bowl of the processor with the garlic. Process until smooth. With the motor running, pour in the olive oil. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl. Stir in parmesan cheese and walnuts.
  3. Line a 5-1/2 x 2-1/2 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, (or a nice shaped small bowl, or a small spring form pan, or, or, or) leaving extra wrap hanging over the sides. Divide the cheese mixture into three equal portions. Spread one-third of cheese mixture on bottom of pan, spread half of tomato-basil mixture over cheese. Repeat the cheese layer and the tomato-basil layer. Top with the remaining third of cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours (or freeze).
  4. To serve, allow the torta to come to room temperature for 30 minutes (2 hours if frozen). Invert onto a platter, provide a spreader, and serve with crostini or good crackers.
  5. When you invert onto platter, you can ‘frost’ with additional cream cheese if you wish.