Pesto Torta

Adapted from Beyond Parsley: Food for the Senses by the Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri (Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri, 1987)

I once made this for one of Walter’s birthday parties, and Marsha took one bite, thought for a second, and looked at me and said, Cream cheese AND butter? That should give you some idea how rich this is.

This recipe can be cut in half. It can also be frozen, so instead of making one large torta, you can make two and freeze one.

Cream Cheese and Butter

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound unsalted butter, room temperature

Beat the softened cream cheese and butter with a spoon until smooth.

Pesto

¼ cup pine nuts
2 cloves garlic
1 cup fresh spinach, tightly packed
1 cup fresh basil, tightly packed
½ cup fresh parsley
½ teaspoon salt or less
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Sun-dried tomatoes (optional, for decoration)

Roast the pine nuts at 325°F, watching carefully so they do not burn. Alternatively, toast them in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Purée the toasted pine nuts, garlic, spinach, basil, parsley, and salt in a food processor. Add the olive oil and blend. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and butter and pulse briefly, being careful not to overblend.

Torta

Cut an 18-inch square of cheesecloth; moisten it, wring it dry, and use it to line a 6-cup plain or charlotte mold, smoothing it as evenly as possible and draping the excess over the rim. (I once used a flowerpot-shaped glass mold, and it was perfect.) If you are making a half recipe or two smaller tortas, adjust the size of the mold accordingly.

On one piece of wax paper or foil, make six mounds of the cream cheese mixture; on another, make five mounds of the pesto.

Use separate spatulas for the cream cheese mixture and the pesto. Starting with the cheese mixture, spread one mound evenly over the bottom of the mold, extending it to the sides. Top with one mound of pesto and spread evenly. Continue layering in this way, keeping the layers even and extending them to the sides. If your mold is wider and you have fewer layers, that is fine, but always finish with a layer of the cream cheese mixture.

Fold the overhanging cheesecloth over the top and press lightly to compact. Chill for several hours or overnight.

About 30 minutes before serving, gently loosen the torta from the mold but do not remove the cheesecloth. Open the folds to expose the bottom, place a serving dish over it, invert, and then remove the cheesecloth.

If you like, decorate the top with sun-dried tomatoes arranged in a fan shape.

Serve with crackers of your choice (I used to use Carr’s Traditional Water Crackers) and/or thin slices of baguette.

To store, remove the cheesecloth and wrap airtight in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 5 days. The torta can also be frozen.