Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 ounces goat cheese, softened and cut into 1-inch slices
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided use
- 4 ounces smoked salmon, chopped – see Note
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted and salted pistachios, divided use
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 1 large green onion, chopped (white, light green and some of the dark green portions)
- Dash Tabasco sauce
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prep mold. Lightly oil a 3- or 4-cup deep bowl or mold. I use a small-ish mixing bowl. Line the mold with plastic wrap, leaving 4 to 5 inches of plastic wrap overhanging the side. (Oiling the mold keeps the plastic wrap from moving around while you are adding the filling, and also makes it easy to unmold.)
- Blend cheeses. Place cream cheese, goat cheese, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. It should be spreadable but not too soft. Remove 1/4 cup; cover and refrigerate ( you’ll use this later to finish the outside once it’s unmolded.)
- Create Layer 1. Spoon 1/3 cup of cheese mixture into bottom of the lined mold. Cover top of cheese with a small piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap, and press down on the paper to smooth the cheese into an even layer. Remove the paper and use a knife or back of a tablespoon to finish smoothing.
- Create Layer 2. Sprinkle salmon evenly over the top. Cover with a small piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap, and press down on the paper to smooth the salmon into an even layer. Remove the paper and use a knife or back of a tablespoon to finish. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon pistachios.
- Create Layer 3. Place small dollops of 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture on top of the salmon and nuts, spreading out as evenly as possible. Cover with a small piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap, and press down on the paper to smooth the cheese into an even layer. Remove the paper and use a knife or back of a tablespoon to finish.
- Create Layer 4. Peel, pit and mash avocado. Stir in green onion, remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice and Tabasco; season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture on top of cheese layer in mold; smooth top with back of spoon. (I find I don’t need to use the paper for smoothing this layer.) Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon pistachios.
- Create Layer 5. Place small dollops of the rest of the cheese mixture on top of the avocado and nuts. spreading out as evenly as possible. Cover with a small piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap, and press down on the paper to smooth the cheese into an even layer. Remove the paper and use a knife or back of a tablespoon to finish.
- Refrigerate. Cover with the overlapping plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Unmold. Around 90 minutes before serving, remove the reserved 1/4 cup cheese mixture from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Around one hour before serving, take the mold out of the refrigerator and uncover the top. Place a small plate over the top that is around the same width (or a bit wider) than the mold. Turn mold upside down and gently shake until the torte plops out onto the plate. Remove the plastic wrap.
- Finish. At this point you have two choices:
A. If you want to see the layers, spread some of the reserved cheese mixture just on the top cheese layer, covering over any wrinkles or indentations.
B. Alternatively, for a cleaner look, you can “ice” the entire torte with the cheese, hiding the layers.
Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios over the top and let some fall down the sides. - Serve with crackers or crostini.
Notes
Gluten free: Serve with gluten-free crackers or crostini.
Smoked salmon: I recommend using cold-smoked salmon for this recipe. It resembles lox but has more flavor, and looks prettier than hot-smoked salmon (which is lighter in color and flaky in texture).
Make ahead: Can be prepared completely up to 24 hours in advance, covered well with plastic wrap and refrigerated. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before serving.
- Category: Appetizers, no bake
- Method: No bake
- Cuisine: American