Party Recipe--Layered Cheese Torta with Fresh Basil and Pine Nuts

Layered Cheese Torta with Fresh Basil and Pine Nuts

12 oz. package cream cheese,
at room temperature
1 1/3 cup unsalted butter at room
temperature
Pesto filling (recipe follows)
Fresh basil sprigs
Pine nuts
Pesto Filling
1 2/3 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
2/3 cup about 3 oz freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
3 ½ tablespoons olive oil
2 ½ tablespoons pine nuts
Salt and pepper

For pesto filling: In a blender or food processor whirl to a paste basil leaves, cheese, and olive oil. Stir in pine nuts and salt and pepper to taste.

With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until very smoothly blended. Scrape mixture from bowl sides as needed.
Cut two 18 inch square of cheesecloth; moisten with water, wring dry, and lay out flat, one on top of the other. Smoothly line a 4 to 5 cup straight-sided plain mold (a loaf pan works nicely) with the cheesecloth; drape excess over rim of the mold.

With your fingers or a rubber spatula make an even layer with 1/6 of the cheese. Cover with 1/5 of the pesto filling, extending it evenly to sides of mold. Repeat until mold is filled, finishing with the cheese. If you want thinner or thicker layers, divide cheese and filling so that you have a bottom and top layer of cheese—in a wide mold you may need to make fewer layers.

Fold ends of cheesecloth over torta and press down lightly with your hands to compact. Chill until torta feels firm when pressed, about 1 hour. Then invert onto a serving dish and gently pull off cheesecloth. If cloth is not removed, it will act as a wick and cause filling color to blend into cheese.
Serve, or wrap airtight with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 5 days. Just before serving, garnish top with a sprig of fresh basil and a sprinkling of pine nuts. Present torta with sliced baguettes or crackers; let guests serve themselves. Serves 10.

This dish is absolutely beautiful and impressive.