CHEESE TORTA WITH BASIL, OLIVES, AND SUNDRIED TOMATOES

• Large basil leaves
• 10 oz goat cheese, softened
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• ¼ c milk
• ½ c finely chopped sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• ½ c finely chopped basil leaves
• 1 tb extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ c finely chopped Kalamata olives (chopped black)

This dish needs to be prepared in advance. Refrigerate overnight.

Use a 1-quart domed bowl (not flat like a soup bowl) and a piece of dampened cheesecloth to line the bowl. Arrange some basil leaves, face side down, on the cheesecloth.

In another bowl, mix the goat cheese and cream cheese together and add enough milk to it so that the mixture is smooth and fairly easy to spread. Add half the minced garlic, season with salt and pepper, and mix well. In a third bowl, combine the remaining chopped basil, remaining garlic and a little olive oil to make a thick paste.

Spread one-fourth of the cheese carefully over the basil leaves in the bottom of the domed bowl. Add the sundried tomatoes evenly, spreading them over the edge of the cheese, and press down gently. Spread one-fourth of the cheese over the tomatoes. Spread chopped basil and garlic over this layer, pressing lightly. Add a third layer of cheese and cover it with the olives, spreading them evenly to the edge and pressing gently. Finish with the remaining layer of cheese, cover this with whole large basil leaves and press down gently. Fold the cheesecloth in to cover the cheese torta and refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

To serve, fold back the cheesecloth and turn it out into a serving plate. Carefully remove the cheesecloth from what is now the top of the torta. Let the torta stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Source: Jane Myers - Champaign-Urbana Herb Society

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