Basilica Torta

I sometimes make a showy, layered appetizer using sun-dried tomatoes, cream cheese, and basil pesto. The combination of colors and flavors is like a party in your mouth! Whenever I make this great spread, my guests want the recipe. It originates with Canadian cookbook author Susan Mendelson. 

Always a crowd pleaser!

Basilica Torta isn’t as difficult as it sounds, and it makes a large quantity - enough to serve 16-to-20 people. It’s a show-stopping, delicious, make-ahead party dish that needs overnight mellowing. It keeps well for a couple of weeks, covered in the fridge.

Tip: To make sure the layering is visible when the Torta is unmolded, spread pesto and sun-dried tomato layers right to the edge of the bowl. I cover and freeze each layer for a few minutes before adding another layer. This prevents the layers from “sloshing around” and makes a more attractive finished product. 

Basilica Torta: 

2-½ (625 mL) c. soft, spreadable cream cheese, at room temperature (see Substitutes Note)

½ c. (125 mL) basil pesto, well drained of oil, divided

1 c. (250 mL) drained sun-dried or oven-dried tomatoes (packed in oil),  divided, blotted dry and chopped

½ c. + 2 tbsp. (140 mL) toasted pine nuts, divided (see Note)

Fresh basil leaves, as garnish

Sliced baguette 

Line a 6-cup (1.5 L) bowl with pieces of plastic wrap large enough to extend over edge of bowl. In separate bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Spread ½ c. (125 mL) of cream cheese in bottom of plastic-wrap-lined bowl to make an even layer. Cover briefly with cello wrap. Smooth and flatten cream cheese with back of spoon. Remove cello.

Spread ¼ c. (60 mL) pesto over cream cheese. Top with ½ c. (125 mL) cream cheese, spreading to make an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with ⅓ c. (80 mL) sun-dried tomatoes, then ¼ c. (60 mL) pine nuts. Repeat layering once. Top with remaining cream cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight to allow flavors to blend and mellow.

Uncover top of cheese, turn bowl upside-down, and unmold onto serving dish or pedestal plate. Remove remaining plastic. Sprinkle top with remaining ⅓ c. (80 mL) sun-dried tomatoes and 2 tbsp. (25 mL) pine nuts. Let stand about 1 hr. before serving. Garnish with basil leaves. Serve with sliced baguette. Serves 12-to-16 generously.

Substitutes Note: No soft cream cheese? Beat together brick cream cheese with a little full-fat commercial sour cream, as needed, until the brick cream cheese is smooth and spreadable.

Note: It goes without saying - but I’ll say it, anyway - that although the proportions remain the same, the size of bowl you use will affect the measurements of your ingredients. For the record, I used a bowl with a 8 in. (20 cm) diameter and a base just shy of 3 in. (8 cm) I used most of a 2 lb. (900 g) tub of cream cheese to make this - and a little more of everything than the recipe calls for. As I’ve previously noted, if you have only brick cream cheese, beating it together with sour cream will make it spreadable. 

Also: Drain as much oil as you can from sun-dried tomatoes and pesto before using them in this spread.

Further Note: See How to Toast Nuts and Seeds. See also How to Oven-Dry Tomatoes. 

Line your bowl with cello wrap: Pack in cream cheese.

Add a layer of pesto.

Add more cream cheese.

Next come chopped sun-dried (or oven-dried) tomatoes.

Repeat layering as recipe directs.

Toast pine nuts to bring out the flavor.

Sprinkle on pine nuts. Top with extra nuts and tomatoes.