What Lisa made for Sunday Dinner: The Decadent Tuscan White Cheese Torte (aka Savory Italian Cheesecake)

There is nothing better than an antipasto to set the tone for dinner. My White Cheese Torte, learned while I lived in Florence, does just that. Read on for the recipe that goes well with Thanksgiving!

Ah, the joys of cheese. I am, Sunday Dinner Lovers, absolutely addicted. I was known for trying every cheese I could find when I lived in Italy. When I moved back to the States, I made sure to find the right cheese purveyors to replicate the ingredients for the best recipes I learned in Tuscany. My local cheesemonger, Oh Mamma’s, is a regular haunt for me (as is Bamber’s Superette!). I hope you have a favorite small grocer or deli that keeps you stocked! It’s necessary for this decadent White Cheese Torte!

This recipe is perfect for the hungry guests at your dinner table - whether they are sons, daughters with voracious appetites (I have one of those!), or just family and friends who can’t wait to devour what you’ve made. Technically an antipasto - a dish you eat after you sit down to table before your primo (pasta or risotto) - this White Cheese Torte is perfect for a fall or winter Sunday Dinner because it provides a decadent and comforting start to what can be hours of eating. I’ve also called this my savory Italian cheesecake recipe. Sound like an American holiday to you? It’s true! The White Cheese Tort can be a great start to Thanksgiving Dinner! You can serve it before my Butternut Squash Soup, which I always make for Thanksgiving (watch me make it here and here is the recipe).

Read on for the full White Cheese Torte recipe (from my cookbook, Whatever Happened to Sunday Dinner?). This recipe is 2 in 1: it includes the tried and true recipe for savory pie crust that I inherited from my Sicilian grandmother, Catherine Lione (also known as Nana!). I also share my tips for Thanksgiving and my never-before-shared list of Italian Christmas cookies that I’m planning on making this holiday season.

Tante belle cose! ~Lisa