Goat Cheese Pesto Appetizer

I like good strong flavors, especially in my cheese. As the French know, a small piece of flavorful cheese is more satisfying than a large amount of tasteless cottage or string cheese.

I'd been toying with the idea of a goat cheese and pesto spread, but all the recipes I found included cream cheese or mascarpone. This seemed to miss the point of the intense base note of the goat cheese contrasted with the piquant heat of the pesto.

So I tried it this way. I bought Sonoma Valley fresh goat cheese from Trader Joe's. It's a little crumbly with a good deep flavor. I layered it with fresh pesto and served it with organic crackers.

It was great. The flavors burst in the mouth, the crackers added a bland crunch, and a few bites were very satisfying. No one spoiled their dinner by overdoing the appetizer.

Best of all, it lasted a couple of weeks in the fridge. The last tablespoon was the finishing touch in a garden risotto.

Goat Cheese Pesto Appetizer
6 oz goat cheese
1/4 cup pesto

Line a one-cup container with plastic wrap. (I know, but it won't be heated. Use wrap made from recycled plastic - available at health food stores.) Spread half the goat cheese in the bottom. Using a bent-angle spatula, spread the pesto on top. Then pat in the remaining goat cheese. Press it down firmly, cover with the wrap, and refrigerate for a couple of hours or days. At serving time, unmold onto a small plate and remove the plastic wrap. Serve with plain crackers.

Serves 4-6