Hattie's Goat Cheese Torta with Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

This is an amazing dish for parties -- probably one of the most popular appetizers I've ever made. It was the signature recipe of Susan Hattie Steinsapir of the rec.food.cooking usenet group. She passed away in 1996, but her influence in our kitchens lives on. For more of her recipes, go here.

• 6 oz goat cheese
• 4 oz cream cheese
• Garlic, peeled, smushed, and chopped (I usually put in lots and more, at least 8 cloves. It's up to you.)
• 1/2 cup pesto (at least)
• 1/2 cup chopped up fine oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, including 1 - 2 tsp of the marinade
• Decorate with fresh herbs, such as branches of thyme, oregano, rosemary, parsley, and sliced baguettes.

Mix goat cheese and cream cheese, add the garlic. Check the taste. Add salt and black pepper if you want.

Line a small glass bowl (about 2 - 3 cups) with plastic wrap. Put about 1/3 of the goat cheese mix into the bowl. Top this with the pesto. Put another 1/3 of the goat cheese mix on top of this. Put the sundried tomatoes on this. Top with the rest of the cheese. Put plastic wrap over the top of this. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to four days.

To serve, invert bowl on a serving dish. Carefully remove the plastic wrap. Decorate with herbaceous materials. Serve with baguettes. Keep out of the way of the devouring mob. Supposed to serve up to 20 - 25 with other horse divers.

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