Black Bean Torte
From the "Under the Chinaberry Tree" 1994 Newsletter. If you soak the beans overnight it reduces the cooking time.
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups black beans, dry
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3 cups slightly packed cilantro leaves
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 12 ounces roasted red peppers, rinsed and patted dry, then minced (set 2 tablespoons aside)
- 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
- crackers or crusty bread
Instructions
- Cook beans with cumin in the stock until they are tender. Drain thoroughly.
- Mash about 1 cup of the beans and mix with the whole beans. Set aside and let cool.
- For the cilantro pesto, place the cilantro leaves, olive oil, garlic, and pine nuts, in a food processor or blender, and puree.
- Line at 4" x 8" loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing the edges to overlap the top edge of the pan. Put 1/2 of the bean mixture into the pan, gently pressing to make a smooth layer.
- Carefully spread the cilantro pesto over the beans.
- Make an even layer of the peppers on top of the pesto.
- Sprinkle the feta cheese on top of the peppers.
- Top the cheese with the rest of the bean mixture, pressing gently to make a compact loaf.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill at least 4 hours or up to 3 days, with something perched on top, to add weight.
- Uncover pan, invert a plate onto it, and holding pate and pan together, invert again. This means flip it over!
- Lift pan off and remove plastic wrap.
- Spoon a yogurt or sour cream band down the middle of the loaf.
- Sprinkle with the reserved minced peppers.
- Present with several knives or spatulas for serving with the bread or crackers.
Notes
I first made this in 1994 and it had been a while since then. A few notes after making nearly 25 years later, including some ideas of making it with store bought canned beans and pesto, are at this updated post.