Savory Goat Cheese Cake

Ingredients

FOR THE CHEESE CAKE:

• 11
  
  ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  
• 6
  
  ounces whole milk ricotta cheese, room temperature
  
• 8
  
  ounces goat cheese, room temperature
  
• 3
  
  large eggs, room temperature
  
• 1/2
  
  cup sour cream
  

FOR THE SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO AND WALNUT PESTO (YOU'LL NEED 3/4 CUP OF EACH)

• 1 1/2
  
  cups sun dried tomatoes
  
• 2
  
  cups warm water
  
• 1 1/3
  
  cups Parmesan cheese, divided into two 2/3 cups
  
• 2
  
  cloves garlic
  
• 1/8
  
  teaspoon red pepper flakes
  
• 1
  
  cup olive oil, divided into two 1/2 cups
  
• 2
  
  cups packed basil leaves
  
• 1
  
  cup chopped walnuts
  
• 
  
  Salt to taste
  

Directions

1. MAKE THE SAVORY GOAT CHEESE CAKE:
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Butter or line 7” springform pan. I use super parchment baking liner. (I cut a circle to fit bottom and wide strips to fit around the sides of the pan.)
4. Using a hand-held or free-standing mixer, mix cream cheese, ricotta and goat cheese until well blended. Add in eggs and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Add in sour cream and mix until thoroughly blended.
5. Pour into springform pan. Bake 45-55 minutes until top is puffed.
6. Remove from oven. Cool completely on rack. Leaving the cake in pan, when cool, place in refrigerator at least 24 hours. (Cake without pesto can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen. Defrost in refrigerator. Remove sides of pan and spread pesto close to serving time.)
7. MAKE SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO:
8. Soak sun dried tomatoes in bowl with warm water approximately 10-15 minutes. Remove tomatoes from water and drain. Reserve water.
9. In a food processor fitted with metal blade, process the garlic until smooth. Add dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes. Process until smooth. Slowly add olive oil and process to a thick paste.
10. Taste and add up to 1/4 teaspoon of reserved water if pesto is too thick. I like this pesto to be a little thicker than the walnut basil pesto. I use this for the filling in the cake.
11. MAKE WALNUT PESTO:
12. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process the garlic until smooth. Add basil, Parmesan cheese and walnuts. Process until ground. Add olive oil and process to a thick paste.
13. ASSEMBLE THE SAVORY GOAT CHEESE CAKE:
14. Remove sides of pan from the Goat Cheese Cake. Carefully, using a serrated knife, slice through middle of the cake horizontally, making two layers.
15. Remove top layer. Spread one flavor of pesto on bottom layer. Put top layer over bottom. Spread second flavor of pesto on top of the cake.
16. Keep refrigerated. Remove approximately 30 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers, sliced baguette and spears of Belgian endive.