Goat Cheese Torta Recipe

Soften and blend cheeses

Place the goat cheese and softened cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Using a fork or an electric hand mixer on low, beat until smooth and homogenous.

Add the sour cream (or Greek yogurt), 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, grated garlic, salt, and black pepper. Continue to mix until the mixture is creamy and spreadable, scraping down the sides as needed.

Taste and adjust seasoning. If the torta feels too thick, add 1 teaspoon water or an extra 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and blend again. Fold in the finely chopped fresh basil if using.

Prepare the sundried tomatoes: if very dry, rehydrate 5–10 minutes in hot water, then drain. Chop the tomatoes into small pieces.

In a small bowl, combine the chopped sundried tomatoes with the pesto. Stir in up to 1 teaspoon of the reserved sundried tomato oil to loosen, and add red pepper flakes if you want a bit of heat. Taste and adjust — the mixture should be boldly flavored and slightly oily so it forms a distinct layer in the torta.

Reserve about 1/3 cup of the pesto-tomato mixture for marbling or serving if you want extra on crostini.

Choose a shallow serving dish or small cake pan (6–8 inch) and spread the goat cheese mixture evenly across the bottom and up the sides to form a smooth base. You can make an even round or leave slightly rustic edges.

Spoon the sundried tomato–pesto mixture over the center of the goat cheese base. Using the back of the spoon, gently spread it to form a 1/2-inch-thick layer, leaving a small goat-cheese border visible around the edge.

For a marbled effect, drop teaspoons of the remaining pesto-tomato mixture around the torta and gently swirl through the top layer of goat cheese with a skewer or butter knife (do not overmix — distinct streaks are attractive).

Cover and refrigerate the torta for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to let flavors meld and the layers set. It can be made up to 24 hours ahead; bring to room temperature 20–30 minutes before serving for best flavor and spreadability.

Just before serving, drizzle about 1 teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil over the top, sprinkle the toasted nuts (if using), scatter the small basil leaves or microgreens, and finish with a light pinch of coarse sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush each slice lightly with olive oil on both sides.

Bake for 6–10 minutes, flipping once midway, until the slices are golden and crisp around the edges. Remove from oven and immediately rub the top of each slice with the halved garlic clove for a hint of garlic flavor.

Allow crostini to cool slightly. Arrange crostini and assorted crackers on a board next to the torta for guests to spread.

To serve: let guests spoon or spread the goat cheese torta onto crostini or crackers. Provide extra pesto-tomato mixture on the side if reserved earlier.